The Medical Journals: Apprenticeship
by 2211Nighthawk
Summary: After witnessing a mech refused medical aid because of his class, Ratchet turned his back on everything he once knew, instead becoming the Elite that dared to change his place in an effort to fix what he knew was wrong. Little did he realize that walking into the small medbay would violate the very laws of society and threaten the dangerous, violent mechs he calls brothers.
1. Chrome

**Hey guys! I hope you all found this new and improved Medical Journals. **

**Just a little heads up,**

**ooOOoo is a time jump,**

**xxXXxx is changing character's point of view. **

**Nano-klick -second**

**klick- minute**

**Joor- hour**

**Orn- day**

**Cycle- week**

**Groon- month**

**metacycle- year. **

**Any questions, PM me.**

* * *

He had done it. Eight metacycles spent studying and working and it was finally paying off. The ceremony not even a few joors ago was still vivid in his memory files as was the pain of the red branding stylus carving its way through his shoulder guard to mark out the outline of the medical insignia. When his mentor thought he was ready, the outline would be filled in and he would get his full degree as a qualified medic. His digits once again reached up to finger the deep grooves. Eight metacycles. It seemed just the other orn that he had walked through the massive double doors of the Iacon Medical Academy to start his training. His gold optics swept the massive main hall and its outlying buildings. Every nook and cranny of the complex he knew like the back of his servo.

"Hey Ratchet! You coming or not! Nova and Quicklight are waiting for us!"

His grin still in place, the bright yellow mech turned to face the mech that had yelled at him. The sleek pale green mech was standing at the side of the road, waving his arms over his helm with a huge grin on his faceplates, blue nearly white optics flashing in pure joy. He finally dropped his arms when he saw Ratchet watching him and his own red insignia stood out against his armor.

"I'm coming Focus!" Ratchet yelled before glancing one more time at the massive building before running over to join his best friend.

"I can't believe we finally made it!" Focus said with a laugh, lunging forward to drop into a sleek SUV like alt mode and diving onto the road. Ratchet was quick to follow his friend into the middle of Iacon rush joor traffic and they wove thorough lanes like only mechs that had grown up in the crazy traffic could. With Focus in the lead, they were joined by two more fresh graduates.

"**I'll bet you that Jackknife was never happier to see us graduate!"** A silver car with blue pinstripes said over their shared comm links as he easily pulled level with Focus.

"**You think?!"** Another silver car asked, her flanks marked with a thick pink stripe said, pulling up alongside Ratchet. **"That mech was going to blow a gasket if he didn't get rid of you and Focus!" **

"**Ah, he'll miss us."** Focus laughed, swerving to nearly sideswipe the silver and blue mech. The mech hit the brakes and both the femme and Ratchet had to swerve to avoid a collision.

"**I still don't see why you had to torture the poor mech so much." **Ratchet said with a hidden grin.

"**Us?! Remind me again Quicklight who it was that went and switched all his labels around? I don't remember." **Focus drawled. **"I just remember some crazy yellow mech saying that it would be fun."**

"**Yeah, I think I remember that as well. What do you think Nova? I distinctly remember there being someone yellow with us."** The silver and blue mech said, swerving in his lane a little.

"**So I may or may not have annoyed him a little."** Ratchet objected good naturally.

"**A little!? You're lucky you passed his class with flying colors!"** The femme, Nova, interrupted. **"You were just as bad as those two!"**

"**Yeah yeah yeah."** Ratchet grumbled, sinking lower on his axils.

"**Lighten up mech, at least you never got caught half as many times as us!"** Quicklight put in, suddenly swerving in front of Ratchet. He hit the brakes to avoid rear-ending his friend as they took the off-ramp up into the spark of Iacon. Focus easily led the four friends to a small flashy club and pulled over.

"Goldstar's? You're crazy." Nova said, transforming to her bipedal form, servos on her hipbolts.

"Course I am. We're here to celebrate!" Focus said, throwing his arms wide again with a massive grin.

"Besides, he has the best energon anywhere." Ratchet added, also standing up in his bipedal form.

"Come on! Drinks on me!" Focus said, dropping an arm around Nova's shoulder and dragging her into the club. Quicklight gave Ratchet a helpless shrug before following after the two apprentices.

The club was alive with color. Like Ratchet and his friends, most had the thin sleek armor of the Elite and middle classes. Green and white optics stood out amongst the more dominant blue and only a single other femme had the same, rare, vivid gold optics as his own. She flashed him a coy smile, winking at him before taking off around the dance floor with her blue optic partner. Femmes with elaborately painted frames twined around mechs with equally bright paint. The femmes' thin armor covered only the most sensitive of circuitry, leaving silver protoform exposed to the elements and the sight of any eager mech. For the most part Ratchet ignored the femmes twirling around their dance partners as a heavy bass beat filled the room and the crowd cheered at the new song. While the volume was a little much, he had to admit it had a good beat.

"Ratch! Ya coming?" Focus called as Nova finally shoved the slightly taller mech off of her. They had already grabbed bar stools at the counter and Ratchet slid onto a stool beside Quicklight. Nova was beside him while Focus sat beside Nova.

"Well well well, I didn't expect to see you four around here for a while." The barkeep, a vivid orange mech with a gold eight point star on his chassis said with a winning smile, walking over to the four.

"Are you kidding me Goldie? We just graduated!" Nova said with a laugh.

"Graduated? You four? Never." Goldstar said, turning away from the counter. "I got a bet going that you three would drive those profs' up the walls."

"Yeah. I thought so as well." Nova said, shoving Focus hard. The pale green medic stuttered in surprise, placing a servo to his chassis in mock horror.

"Me? Get in trouble? You jest." He scoffed before snickering behind his servo. "Yeah we all graduated, Ratchet got top of class." he added. "We all knew he would, he spent enough time in those datapads of his."

"So I studied a lot! So what?" Ratchet objected as his friends laughed. Goldstar turned back around, balancing four cubes of rich, dark blue liquid.

"Best high grade we got. First round's on me." He said, sliding the cubes skillfully down the counter. Ratchet easily snagged his cube and took a sip of the strong stuff. The rich energon burned down his throat and he raised the cube with a grin.

"Here's to the best medics Iacon will ever see!" He said as his friends laughed and raised their own cubes in a toast.

"Here's to the best!" They echoed loudly as they all drank.

ooOOoo

The next orn found Focus passed out in his room as he slept off the rather large hangover Ratchet knew he would have. The amount of high grade the mech had downed would put someone twice his size out of commission. Ratchet also knew that while high grade was banned in the Academy, someone always managed to smuggle the stuff in for the parties and he had had his fair share of the illegal contraband. He had even won a few of the drinking games. But he always regretted it the next orn when he had to be on time for classes. Getting overcharged just wasn't worth it to his point of view.

Another loud groan came from his roommate's' berthroom and Ratchet couldn't help the chuckle as it was followed shortly after by a bang and a curse.

"I really do hope you just fell off the berth." Ratchet called, swirling his cube of midgrade from his place on the couch as he caught up on the latest news feed streaming across the datapad he held. A nano-klick later his friend's door slid open and Focus stumbled out, looking even more green then usual. He staggered to the small wash rack and the door hissed shut. The sound of the taps being turned on didn't hide the sound of Focus purging his tanks into the sink. Again, Ratchet smirked at his friend's misfortune. He had told the mech hundreds of times to watch how much he drank but the stubborn glitch never listened to him. He finished his cube and tossed it in the trash a few klicks later, walking to the sill locked door.

"Hey Focus!" He called, knocking on the door. A harsh curse from inside was Focus' way of answering as another crash signified that he had dropped something.

"I'm heading out. If I'm not back in a few joors I've been pulverised." Ratchet said to the closed door before leaving a cube of low grade energon on the counter for his friend and walking outside the small apartment. It was a short ride down the lift to the ground level three stories below their apartment. He transformed at the side of the road before skillfully merging into traffic and making his way toward the outer rings of Iacon.

The place he was going to was located almost a joor out of Iacon and fifteen klicks up a worn track that led up into the mountains that ran down Iacon's east side. The highway had long broken down into a rough set of tracks and even though his alt mode was higher up than most of his class, it was still very rough going for a mech used to paved road all his lifecycle.

Eventually, after taking two wrong turns, he found himself at an old white building. Hesitantly he pulled up to the double doors in the middle of the building, facing higher up into the mountains. The lights were on but he didn't see anyone though the glass sliding doors. With a deep exvent to steady his nerves, he transformed to biped, the soft dirt under his peds an alien feeling after the polished metal of the inner rings. He suddenly glanced around, realising just how bad of an idea this was. He didn't belong here. His bright paint and sleek armor screamed Elite even if he didn't go by the rank any more. Out here, this was miner territory and nothing would stop the big dangerous mechs from turning him into scrap metal if he accidently fragged them off. There would be no Enforcers to keep them back.

But this was what he wanted. This was why he had become a medic. With another exvent he finally walked up to the doors. The motion sensor caught him and they slid open. Ratchet was instantly hit with the clean sterile smell of a medbay and he was mildly surprised at the impressive state the place was in. It was far nicer than he could have ever expected.

Directly in front of him was a small office with a window to see the main doors. To the left was a single doorway and he could hear banging going on inside. To the right was the main medbay. A row of counters and cabinets lined the back wall while three berths lined the wall the main doors were on. A massive berth was up against the wall beside the counters while a huge overhead door took up the end of the medbay. An average sized steel examination table sat in the middle of the 'bay while another massive table was off against the wall with the counters.

"Piper! I swear if you're back again I will beat you over the head with whatever limb you got torn off this time!" A furious voice bellowed and Ratchet jumped.

"No sir. I'm ah... I'm looking for- for the medic designated Chrome." Ratchet stammered.

"Who's asking?" The voice demanded.

"My designations Ratchet. I uh... I'm a medical graduate. I'm looking for Chromeq." Ratchet replied. There was a loud crash followed by a sharp curse, then another crash. A tall mech with wide shoulder guards and a deep scowl on his faceplates walked out of the side room. Instantly Ratchet knew it was Chrome. It was impossible to mistake him. The terrible rust colored scars marring his silver frame made him unmistakable.

The mech stalked up to Ratchet, vivid green optics pinning the young mech to the floor. He was a good three feet taller then Ratchet's seventeen foot frame but he was easily twice his size in bulk.

"So you're looking for a mech to mentor you in your medical degree." Chrome growled, his piercing gaze snapping to the fresh cross on Ratchet's shoulder guard before back to his optics.

"Yessir." Ratchet said, trying to hold the mech's glare. He finally had to drop them to a point on the big mech's chassis. The once silver mech crossed his arms, still glaring at Ratchet.

"And I'm guess that since you're here you want to become _my_ apprentice." The mech continued.

"If you are willing to take me on. I'm not afraid of hard work. Sir." Ratchet said, bringing his optics back up.

"Why should I even think about taking you on. You're not the first mech to want me to mentor them. You're an Elite. You shouldn't even be this far out of your precious inner rings." Chrome growled, his armor flaring aggressively. Instinctively Ratchet felt his own armor flatten in submission. He didn't know how to answer that. He was an Elite. He had never been exposed to any kind of hard physical work like what he wanted to do.

"That's what I though." Chrome said with a scowl, turning his back on Ratchet and heading for the back room he had just come from. Ratchet released the vent he hadn't realised he had been holding. That had gone far better than he though. Chrome had a reputation as having the miners for back up. He was actually impressed that no one had come to 'escort' him back to Iacon. Just as he was about to turn around and head back to Iacon, a tan colored mech the same size as Chrome burst through the door, nearly taking the doors off their tracks and running over Ratchet.

"Chrome! Fraggit! There's been a collapse, some of the gang are trapped!" The mech yelled. There was another sharp curse and Chrome stormed back out of the room.

"What happened." He demanded, stalking into the medbay.

"I don't know. I think that dumb-aft rookie Piper messed up again. I swear if that mech is still online I will terminate him myself." The mech snarled, following after Chrome. "This is the third time he's caused an accident and Scrapper nearly offlined last time."

Ratchet was about to leave before things got chaotic when Chrome yelled at him.

"You still here Royal?"

"I was just leaving." Ratchet replied, turning to face the mech as there was no doubt on who he was addressing.

"You any good?" Chrome asked.

"I graduated top of my class." He said, carful to keep his tone neutral.

"Got tools?"

"Some, yes."

"Stock up. You'll need a lot of templating. Most of the damage is usually burns and broken plating." Chrome barked, gesturing toward the cabinets. Ratchet immediately moved toward the supplies, taking what he thought he would need and subspacing it.

"You kidding me. He's a royal. What the frag do you think you're doing." The tan mech growled darkly and Ratchet fought the urge to shudder at the mech's tone.

"He's an apprentice medic. If he's here, might as well put him to use." Chrome replied as he turned back to Ratchet.

"Keep up. Don't get in anyone's way and the miners should leave you alone. Oh, don't get between Carbon and Sterling." He added before he turned and stalked out of the building. The tan mech snarled lowly as Ratchet walked past him and Ratchet instantly froze, letting the miner past first.

Chrome was already idling in a heavy pickup like alt outside the front doors. The tan miner once again glared at Ratchet before also folding into a massive 4 by 4. The miner took off as Ratchet dropped into his alt and Chrome raced off while Ratchet struggled to keep up at the rear.

To his surprise a comm link popped up in his HUD and he accepted the link from Chrome.

"**How bad was it?"** Chrome was asking as he pulled ahead to take the lead up a rough road. In the distance farther up the mountain Ratchet could see dark smoke.

"**I don't know. I was loading Carbon up when Axil said something had exploded, collapsing part of the tunnel. I lost the comm signal."** The miner said.

"**And Carbon?"**

"**Where do you think? Sterling was still inside with Dusty, Axil, Ironlock, Piper and Scrapper."**

"**Frag. Is Longhaul out at least? I need someone to start hauling wounded back to the 'bay."**

"**I think he was just inside the entrance. He was leaving with a load of scrap. I don't think he got caught."** The mech replied.

"**Fraggit all. I'm gonna terminate Carbon, that pit-spawn glitch." **Chrome hissed viciously as the road suddenly leveled out onto a small plateau. Both mechs skidded to a stop in the loose ground and Ratchet hammered on the brakes to keep from rear-ended Chrome. He transformed to biped, staring at the scene in shock.

Smoke was still streaming out of a gaping black hole in the side of a sheer cliff. Even as he watched a massive grey mech stumbled out of the mine entrance, the arm of a dark grey mech slung over his shoulder as they stumbled out.

"Battle! The frag happened!" Chrome demanded, running to the grey miner as the bigger one eased him to the ground. "Hey Royal!" He yelled and Ratchet sprinted over. He nearly purge at the sight of what was left of the miner's leg. It looked like it had been torn off at the knee joint.

"What-" Ratchet stammered. Sure he knew what he was doing but this was beyond anything he had ever imagined.

"Dusty's hurt bad." The mech hissed as Chrome helped ease him to the ground. Ratchet nearly gasped in shock as Chrome sank his servos into what was left of the miner's leg, not even giving him any pain killers or anything.

"I don't know what happened." The mech continued, arching in pain as Chrome worked. "Something blew up, I saw Dusty get thrown. Sterling was pinned when the shaft collapsed and a slab crushed my leg. Longhaul got me loose and was helping me out when part of the shaft collapsed, cutting us off from the others."

"So there's two collapses?!"

"Yeah. The one that pinned Sterling, then the one that's keeping us from getting back inside."

"What about the others?" Chrome asked.

"Piper was with us. The others were farther in."

"Can you handle him?" Chrome demanded, turning to Ratchet suddenly.

"What?! Yes, I think-"

"Yes or no!" Chrome barked.

"Yes." Ratchet said firmly, dropping down beside Chrome. The medic was already up to his bracers in the miner's energon, coolant, and other life fluids and the gory mess was already starting to reach his knee guards as the miner leaked out.

"They can handle a lot." Chrome said, his gaze back on the mech he was working on. "It's far more important that you get these lines sealed off before he leaks out. Get over here."

Ratchet moved a little closer when Chrome suddenly grabbed his wrist with an energon slick servo.

"Hold this line now." Chrome barked, shoving Ratchet's servo deep into the mech's leg. The miner gasped in pain but held still as Ratchet easily found one of the many torn lines.

"Got it." Ratchet said, adjusting his grip as a clamp slid out from under his bracer. He quickly clamped the line off before the mech lost any more energon and turned back to Chrome in surprise as the mech pulled his servos free, still dripping energon and other fluids.

"Good. Don't let him offline." Chrome ordered in a dangerous voice before he abruptly stood and sprinted off.

"Oh frag." Ratchet muttered before putting all his attention, training and knowledge into keeping the badly damaged mech from leaking out. He released the clamp from his bracer and set another one that was still leaking energon.

"You're a royal." The mech demanded, propping himself up on his elbow joints now that Chrome was gone.

"I keep hearing that. What does that mean?" Ratchet asked, sealing another line.

"You're not one of us. You're frame is a dead giveaway." The mech said. "Not to mention your optics. Those alone will get ya skewered."

"Oh. That. Yeah." Ratchet stammered, focusing on the miner. He quickly finished sealing the worst of the energon lines before welding a patch of templating over the gaping wound to keep impurities out of the miner's systems. He had just finished when there was another deep rumble from the mine. Ratchet instinctively leaned over the miner as a cloud of dark smoke shot out of the mine.

"Fraggin' spawn of a glitch!"

Chrome's unmistakable yell rang out and Ratchet spun toward the mech in time to see him stumble out of the mine, the tan colored mech right behind him. Both were coughing hard as their vents tried to filter the smoke from the air.

"We have to get that out of the way or Dusty and the others are scrap." The miner was saying, servos braced on his knee guards as he coughed again.

"Ya think I don't know that Sandy?! Longhaul can't get that beam moved and we don't even know if Carbon can help from his end." Chrome spat, storming over to Ratchet. The apprentice moved over as Chrome dropped down beside him and the miner.

"How ya doing Battleship?" Chrome asked, inspecting Ratchet's work.

"Fine. Now what the frag is a royal doing up here." The miner growled as Chrome shoved him back down onto his back.

"Tell you later." Chrome said before his gaze snapped back to the mine. "Frag, there it goes again."

Just as Chrome spoke there was a loud groan and more dust billowed out of the entrance.

"What's wrong?" Ratchet asked.

"Shaft collapsed." Chrome said, sparing the yellow mech a glance. "It's too unstable to drill our way though and it's too heavy for Longhaul to move himself."

"Where's Carbon?" The miner asked.

"Where do you think? Sandstorm said he went back in after Sterling. I'm gonna terminate that glitch." Chrome growled before glancing at Ratchet. "That sound was another support shaft giving way. We don't know how many have already collapsed."

"How far down are they?" Ratchet asked before he realised what he had said. Chrome turned to stare at him in surprise.

"What?"

"How far down are they? I'm smaller than anyone here. I might be able to get to them if they need medical attention." Ratchet repeated, subspacing a rag to try and clean his servos off with. Without thinking he handed the rag to Chrome who roughly scrubbed the worst of the stains off of his own servos before handing it back to Ratchet.

"The mine goes back in about a mile but there's a bunch of side tunnels before you hit the main cavern." Chrome said slowly, watching Ratchet closely.

"Chrome you can't be serious! Copper would blow a gasket if he found out you let some royal go underground! Not to mention he _is_ a fraggin _royal_!" The tan mech, Sandstorm, demanded.

"There's seven other miners down there." Chrome snapped. "I can guarantee you that if he tries anything stupid Sterling will personally ensure he does not come back out in one piece. You know that mech doesn't know how to terminate."

Ratchet's armor flared at the not so subtle threat. That was the second time he had been 'warned' about this Sterling mech.

"You're insane." The mech growled at Chrome, but his vivid red gaze was pinned on Ratchet. It was filled with such hate that he actually took a step back. "You don't belong out here _royal._ So why don't you go back to your Towers and stay out of our way."

"Sandstorm I told you to back off." Chrome barked, shoving a servo against the miner's chassis and forcing him back a step. "He came to me because he claims he wants to apprentice to me."

"He what?!" Sandy demanded.

"If the mech wants me to mentor him that is none of your concern. You just do your job and I'll do mine. Now back off." He snarled. "You. Come with me." He jabbed a digit at Ratchet. When he jumped up to follow the medic back to the mine, the tan colored mech once again growled as Ratchet walked past and his armor flattened against his frame.

"Ignore Sandstorm. He won't try anything when I'm around." Chrome growled, stalking toward the mine. Chrome paused in the entrance to give Ratchet a glance. "Why are you here? And don't give me this slag about wanting to help our kind. I've heard it before and they don't even last a joor."

"I saw a miner get beat up because he went to a medic. He wanted help for his friend and he never got it. My guess is the friend probably offlined." Ratchet said, holding Chrome's suddenly dark green gaze. "I want to do this." He insisted. "And I'll do whatever it takes to earn your respect. I may be a royal, but I'm willing to work."

Chrome watched him for a nano-klick more without saying anything before starting forward again, bracing a servo against a half collapsed beam as he ducked under it. Ratchet glanced at the metal in concern, noting the way the metal appeared warped.

"It's stressed." Chrome said, glancing back at Ratchet. "They weren't designed for this kind of weight. Longhaul! How you holding up!"

"It's going to take a while." The massive grey mech from before said with a grunt, his back braced against another beam as he easily levered it out of the way. It fell to the ground with a crash and Ratchet couldn't help but jump. "What's he doing here." Longhaul demanded, glaring at Ratchet. Again, he couldn't help but shrink back from the miner's vivid red glare.

"He might be the only one that's going to be able to confirm what shape the others are in. He chose to do it." Chrome growled, armor flaring aggressively. Longhaul shot the apprentice one more simmering glare before he stepped aside with a shrug.

"I'm not dealing with Copper if he finds out." The mech growled.

"I'll deal with the fragger myself." Chrome growled, then glanced at Ratchet. "I don't know what's going to be on the other side."

"No one does." Ratchet said with a shrug. "You said there were seven unaccounted for?"

"Our gang leader Dusty, his second Sterling, Carbon for sure, Axil, Ironlock and Scrapper." Longhaul answered. "And that glitch Piper."

"And Sterling is the one I need to be worried about." Ratchet said scowling. Chrome smirked at him before turning deadly serious again.

"The other thing is hissing. If you hear it, get out. The mine is a straight shaft into the side of the cliff. It won't drop away on you. At least…" Chrome trail off with a shrug. "It shouldn't. We've scanned the area for driller tunnels and it's clear. How far down were they?"

"I don't know. Battleship was loading me up when the place exploded." Longhaul said with a shrug. It was then that Ratchet noticed the blue energon dripping in streams down parts of the miner's armor.

"Frag. In that case if they're in the main cavern it's a straight run down the shaft. If not…" Chrome trailed off. "Then you're royally screwed. Sterling and Dusty were the only two with maps. The rest of us have memorized the mine already."

"Then I better get going." Ratchet said as a wave of panic suddenly flooded his systems. He was more insane than the medic!

"Just because you do this doesn't mean I will take you on." Chrome rumbled lowly.

"I know." Ratchet said just as serious before turning to the massive slab that was blocking the tunnel. The slab was at an angle and there was just enough of a gap that Ratchet figured he could crawl though.

"Wish me luck." He muttered as he dropped to the ground to crawl though.

"I don't believe in luck." Chrome muttered darkly as Ratchet crawled through into the unknown. "If you're smart, you won't either. But I won't deny that we sure could use a miracle."

* * *

**Hope you guys liked it. I'll probably update with in the next two, three days. Yell at me if I don't. **

**Read and Review please! I love you guys, thanks for sticking with me though all this. Yeesh...**


	2. Dust

**Sorry sorry sorry, forgot that I said three days... had to drive back from Saskatchewan and now I'm renovating my room. Completely forgot I said I'd update this soon. Thanks Autobot Mech-Ops, Neon and Child of John snow for the reminder. **

**Autobot Mech-Ops- Yes dear. **

**Guest: Im glad you liked it. That was one of my biggest goals was to just develop the characters more.**

**DawnfireJazz:Yes they are, just wait, it gets better though.**

**Neon: Sorry, completely forgot I said a day or three. Oops. **

**Child of John snow: Thanks for the reminder. Just got it this morning half an hour ago. :)**

**BookLovingPersonR.B.L-:Glad you like it. **

**Swiftpaw2012: Glad you were able to find it! Trust me, there's a lot more fin to come.**

**Answerthecall: Hope you continue to enjoy it. **

**Kay, Neon asked for a optic guide. **

**Gold is very rare, only in the Elites does it happen and both creators have to have gold optics for the kid to have them.**

**Blue is the common Elite. **

**Green/White is middle class but it can show up in either Elites or Working class same as some rare middle class have blue or red. (ya know, mechs messing around...)**

**Red is working class. **

**That being said, places like Iacon, Simfur, Cyrstal City, Tyger Pax (what will become Autobot Territory) are Elite dominant so most have blue optics. **

**Places like Kaon, Kalis, Straxis, Tarn (Basically what will become Decepticon territory) is working class dominate so most have red optics. **

**Then to top it all off, there is usually a wack load of green and white optic middle classes everywhere to act as a bit of a buffer between Elites and Workers. **

**Praxus and Vos, being so different from the other 'types' of Cybertronians, don't follow the caste systems nearly as much as places like Iacon (one of the worst) and Kaon (the worst) so there isn't nearly as obvious who is who. Optic color is a bit more random with them. **

**That's my theory and I hope that all makes sense. **

* * *

It was a tight fit but Ratchet managed to squeeze though the gap. Strips of his bright yellow paint had been left behind on the surrounding metal but he knew it was an easy fix compared to something like that miner had. The headlights mounted on his chassis flared to life, cutting thought eh dust filled air easily even as his vents coughed, catching on the dust. He glanced around, taking in the rough curved walls of the tunnel and the worn floor. He sensed other ID signatures but it was the one closest to him that had him concerned.

He carefully made his way down the tunnel, having to squeeze past two broken off columns before he finally found himself in front of a side tunnel. A glowing trail of energon and other life fluids led into the tunnel and carefully he started down, the fresh energon blue in the dark. As soon as he stepped ped around a corner, a grey servo was around his throat, lifting him off the ground and slamming him into the cavern wall.

"Sterling!" A deep voice demanded, but Ratchet was focused on the servo cutting off energon to his processor.

"Ya got ah lot o' nerve royal." The mech throttling him snarled in a thick Polyhexian accent, his grip tightening. In desperation Ratchet clawed at the mech's bracer, trying to get him to drop him before his processor blacked out. Four lights abruptly flared on as a massive black servo clapped onto the grey mech's bracer and he finally let Ratchet drop to the ground, his processor spinning.

"Sterling, look at his shoulder guards, he's a medic! He's here for Dusty."

"Like frag 'ee is. 'Oo are ya!" The grey mech demanded.

Wide grey peds finally came into focus as Ratchet's processor stopped spinning. His gaze traveled up the mech's thick legs, heavily armored torso, and wide shoulder guards. His left arm was severed at the middle of his upper arm, jagged blade marks on the exposed struts as well as deep gouges and scratches down his entire left side. The two headlights mounted on his lower chassis were both shattered. Ratchet dropped the mech's furious white optics. He probably stood a good twenty five feet tall.

"Chrome told me to avoid you." Ratchet rasped, rubbing his throat as he carefully got back to his peds. The grey mech, Sterling he assumed, snarled and the black servo tightened to pull him back. Ratchet's gaze snapped over to the nearly invisible mech and he shuddered as the most intimidating pair of deep red optics focus on him. The mech they belonged to was easily thirty five feet tall, four spotlights mounted across his chassis. He utterly dwarfed Ratchet. He nervously got back to his peds, red and white optics watching him.

"Smart idea." The grey mech snarled but the black mech turned to him, shoving him out of the way.

"Back off Sterling, Dusty will terminate if you don't." The mech growled before turning back to Ratchet. "We patched him up best we can but neither of us are medics."

Ratchet nodded, heading toward where the black miner was pointing him toward. The grey mech snarled at him and he quickly walked past to where his own headlights had caught the unmistakable gleam of fresh energon.

"Oh Primus…" Ratchet gasped, dropping to what was left of the mech.

He had obviously been moved judging from the trail of energon and other fluids that he had seen. His armor, what was left of it, had bene stripped down to the bare metal, only a few places were still faded red. The rest was a vivid cyan blue from the massive amount of energon loss the mech had suffered. The cause of the energon loss was far too clear. The mech's entre left side was gone.

His leg was barely attacked by a few wires, his pelvic joint shattered, confirming Battleship's though that he had been slammed against something. The armor on his chassis had been removed to expose the terrible burns to the point where his protoform had melted away and exposed vital systems. Someone had managed to stop the worst of the leaks but the ground was still soaked in energon.

Two pistons in the mech's side were snapped in half, one had come dangerously close to puncturing his spark chamber while four others spaced down his side were bent or warped. His arm and shoulder joint were missing entirely, the edges of the struts and pistons melted to slag. His helm had been spared the worst of the damage but was still badly burned, his left optic shattered.

It was miracle the mech was still on this side of the Well. After confirming that his fuel converter was still operational with a quick scan, he pulled an IV drip out of subspace to get the badly needed energon into the mech's system. He glanced up at the wall to see if there was something he could hang the bag of medical grade energon on when a jagged edged dagger slammed into the wall just above his helm. Ratchet spun to face the grey miner in terror as the miner released the blade from his bracer, leaving it embedded in the wall.

"Ee's our gang leader." Sterling snarled, leaning over Ratchet. "If 'ee terminates-"

The black miner grabbed him by the shoulder again, jerking him back and Ratchet gasped as he didn't realise he had stopped venting. With the miner out of his way he hung the IV on the blade handle and subspaced a laser scalpel, cutting through the miner's burnt protoform to get to an undamaged line. Thankfully, the major line that fed energon directly to the mech's spark chamber was still intact. The broken piston shaft was pressing against the line but it wasn't blocked off and he inserted the big needle into the line before releasing the stopper on the IV line.

"Sterling if you don't back off and let the royal work we will lose Dusty." The miner said quietly, making Ratchet pause. "It wasn't your fault."

The grey miner jerked free and took a step back. Flared armor flattened out as he exvented hard and Ratchet returned his attention to the injured miner. His energon levels were slowly stabilising and he started examining the piston shaft by his spark chamber.

"Ya right." Sterling said finally. "Weh need tah find tah others."

"No. I will. You need to sit down for a bit. You lost a lot of energon before I managed to cut you free."

Ratchet stiffened at the mech's words. He had what?!

"An' what 'bout ya?" Sterling growled.

"Whatever you want to believe, I'm still in better shape than you to dig anyone out." The mech countered. "Axil and the others were on the other side of the collapse. I have to get to them."

"Fine." Sterling growled.

"Leave the royal alone. I'll try and find the others." The mech said and Ratchet glanced up abruptly to see the nearly invisible black mech walk back into the main shaft. The tunnel got much darker as the huge amount of light the mech had been providing disappeared around the corner. All of a sudden he was alone with a mech that he had been warned repeatedly about to stay away from.

"Ya can relax. Ah won't do anything." Sterling said, watching the shaft entrance. He shifted just enough to give Ratchet a look with piercing white optics. To his surprise, he saw no hostility, but only a deep set caution and what he could only call fear. Fear for his friend.

At that point Ratchet saw the miner in a different light. He was only acting that way because he was afraid for his friends. He already knew that the miners were close. If Dusty offlined it would be like losing a brother.

Sterling dropped Ratchet's questioning gaze, walking over to the wall and dropping gracelessly to the floor, long legs stretched out before him with a tired groan. Ratchet watched him for a nan-klick more before diverting power to shoot a quick scan at the mech. Aside from the mangled mess of his arm, he was doing prey good. But his energon levels were lower then what was considered safe. Sterling smirked, optics shuttered, at the tingle the scan made.

"Save ya power fo' Dusty. 'Ee needs it more than Ah do. Ah've 'ad worse." He said quietly, onlining his optics to glance down at what was left of his arm. Ratchet nodded before focusing on the mech's chassis. The miner was as stable as he was going to get without proper supplies. The piston shaft needed to either be removed or braced so it wouldn't slip and tear though more vital lines. Remembering the rough scramble to this place, he knew that it would be too dangerous to leave the piston shaft where it was. He started to take it apart.

The shaft wasn't snapped off like he had initially though. It was still partly attached and he accessed the small circular saw in his digit tip to cut it off. The shaft was made of metal that wouldn't spark, ensuring that the sparks wouldn't cause any more internal damage.

The shaft snapped and the pressurised fluid still in the piston forced what was left of the shaft up, jarring the broken off half.

"Frag!" Ratchet spat as the shaft slipped, tearing into the vital energon line. In half a nano-klick what energon was still in the mech's systems was spilt on his servos and the floor.

"What!" Sterling demanded, scrambling awkwardly to his peds. Ratchet ignored him as he managed to clamp off the line but the damage had been done. A quick scan revealed that his energon levels had dropped drastically and he had gone into forced stasis lock, bordering on complete system shut down and his spark was starting to fade.

"The line got cut. His fuel converter is down." Ratchet said, not daring to look at the miner as he welded the torn line back together, then released the clamp before he starved the miner's spark. He knew that not only was Dusty's life on the line but his own as well. He had messed us, made a first metacycle rookie mistake. His spark nearly jumped out of its chamber when a heavy servo dropped onto his shoulder guard. He couldn't help but flinch, expecting to feel the same deadly grip as before.

"Use meh then. Chrome's 'ad tah do it befo' when 'ee doesn't 'ave teh supplies." Sterling said, releasing Ratchet to crouch down beside him.

"You can't be serious." Ratchet deadpanned, pausing to glance at the mech on his right. "You want me to pump your energon directly into him."

"Ah don't joke 'bout mah gang." Sterling replied, just as serious, shifting slightly to stay balanced on his peds. Ratchet glanced back at the terminating mech.

"You'll want to sit down. He needs a lot of energon." Ratchet said finally. Sterling shifted his position, almost losing his balance and Ratchet shot a servo out to steady him. Sterling winced slightly as Ratchet's servo came in contact with his mangled arm but didn't say anything as he settled. Ratchet carefully inspected the miner's damaged arm, noting with concern the fact that it did look like someone had taken a knife to the struts and pistons. Hydraulic and cooling fluids still dripped from the torn lines but he wasn't losing any energon. He worked fast to find the major energon line and, reaching over, jerked the IV line free from the nearly empty bag. He quickly inserted the blunt needle into the line in Sterling's arm, watching for any leaks to both his patients.

"Huh. It's actually working." He said as a few klicks later, Dusty's energon levels slowly start to climb.

"Told ya it would." Sterling mumbled, his right arm braced on his thigh, helm cradled in his servo. He would start to feel light-helmed pretty soon. Knowing that the mech was already low on energon to begin with, Ratchet scanned the miner again. This time Sterling didn't object and Ratchet frowned at the miner's low energon levels.

"Ah know Ah'm low, frag off 'bout it." Sterling growled but his spark wasn't behind the threat. Ratchet shot him another concerned look before focusing his attention on Dusty. His levels were still rising even as Sterling's dropped. Much longer and he would have to cut them off before Sterling slipped into forced stasis. Getting two stasis locked mechs out would be far harder.

"Go find Carbon, see if they need 'elp. If 'ee's stable, Ah'll watch Dusty." Sterling said quietly, optics shuttered.

"He's stabilising. But you're not." Ratchet said, optics on the miner. He snorted air though his vents, though it sounded more like a harsh cough.

"Ya just as bad as Chrome."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Ratchet replied, smirking slightly. Sterling coughed again and Ratchet scowled. "You alright?"

In answer, Sterling started coughing again, a wet heaving sound and he was wheezing for air by the time he was done his attack.

"Ya need tah find Carbon. Mah comm is down an' this place is leakin' selion." Sterling gasped hoarsely.

"Selion? What is that?"

"It's ah poison. Tell him tah get out." Sterling barked, coughing harshly again. Ratchet stood, pausing to scan both mechs again. Both their internal temperatures were climbing at a steady, and alarming, rate. Against his better judgment, he glanced back one more time before he headed off to find the others. He hoped that he would find the black mech first and not run into any of the others.

He sent his scanners out and found the ID signature of the black mech. Carbon he reminded himself. Sterling had called him Carbon. The good news was that he wasn't alone. There were three other signatures. He remembered Chrome saying that there should have been seven. He had only seen six in total.

He kept moving toward the signatures, becoming aware of a burning sensation in his vents and his core temperature was a few degrees higher than normal. It was nothing serious but it was enough to make him concerned, especially with Sterling's warning about the selion. He needed to move fast if they needed help.

As he kept walking, a distinct acidic smell stood out and it wasn't until he was right upon the source that he realised what it was. He stepped in something wet and he jumped away in surprise, only for his ped to catch on something. He tripped, twisting his ankle joint and scuffing his servos as he landed hard. He twisted back over to see what he tripped over and couldn't stop the short cry of shock that escaped his vocal processor.

The mangled, half melted frame was burnt beyond recognition as energon pooled under it. What was left of the faceplates were twisted in a silent scream of pain as he was no doubt incinerated. Gory drag marks led away from the mech a bit further up the tunnel where a side shaft had collapsed. Energon coated the floor and wall opposite the destroyed shaft, smeared across the floor from where massive peds had stepped in the fluids. A support beam directly across from the shaft was also soaked in energon, coolant, and other fluids before dripping down the beam and pooling on the floor. Red paint was scuffed down the entire length of the beam and Ratchet knew that that was where the explosion had happened and Dusty had been slammed into the beam, snapping the pistons in his side.

A black servo grabbed his shoulder, tearing his horrified optics away as the images were burned into his processor.

"Don't look mechling." Carbon's deep voice filled the tunnel as Ratchet struggled to keep from purging his tanks, his vents working overtime. "You need to calm down."

"What-" Ratchet stammered, the horrified images flashing though his processor. As a medical student he had dealt with some horrible injuries. But between Battleship, Dusty and now this, he was overwhelmed. He had never expected it to be like this. Finding the scene of the horrific damage was too much for him.

"That was Piper. He got caught in the explosion." Carbon said, shifting his massive bulk so he was between Ratchet and the gory sight of the terminated miner. "I found him while looking for Ironlock and Scrapper. I got him out of the way but I didn't think you would be coming up here. To be blunt, we've sadly seen worse. What are you doing here? Where's Dusty."

"Ster… Sterling's with him." Ratchet stammered, trying to calm down. He was just about ready to have a panic attack.

"Vent already. Just calm down, get yourself under control. What's going on?" Carbon asked.

Ratchet took another shuddering vent, systems slowing down.

"Sterling said he smelt selion. He told me to come warn you."

"Selion? Frag, the ventilator's out then." Carbon growled.

"Does that surprise you? I keep having to reboot that thing ever orn it seems like." A voice growled as another set of headlights turned on and Ratchet blinked at the bright light. A dark grey mech walked out of the collapsed shaft, supporting a medium grey mech the same height as him but nearly twice his size in bulk. Both were leaking energon from various gashes on their frames. A light grey mech stood beside them, cradling his left arm to his chassis and Ratchet could tell without a scan that there was something wrong with the joint.

"Who's he?" The light grey mech asked, giving Ratchet a cautious look.

"Medical apprentice. Don't ask me why he's here Scrapper, talk to Chrome." Carbon said with a shrug. "We need to get out of here. Sterling said he's smelling selion and Dusty is in stasis. Scrapper, go help Longhaul and Sterling-"

"Sterling won't be of much help to you." Ratchet interrupted.

"What do you mean." Carbon demanded.

"Dusty's fuel converter failed. Sterling's syphoning energon into Dusty as we speak but he'll be weak."

"Fraggit. I need that tunnel to get clear. Royal, can you lift Dusty yourself?"

"He's missing most of his armor and I'm stronger then I look. I can do it." Ratchet assured him. The light grey mech snorted.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. He ain't got no bulk on him. Nothing but a weakling royal." He growled.

"Doesn't matter." Carbon barked. "I need that tunnel open to get them out. Now get to it!"

"What about Piper?" The other dark miner asked. Carbon exvented.

"We'll have to come back for him." He said finally. "Move it. We're on a deadline now with that selion. And someone tell Chrome to get that fraggin ventilator back on! We need air down here!"

"On it boss." The dark grey mech, Axil, said as he gave Carbon a two digit salute and helped the other mech down the tunnel. The light grey mech, Scrapper, gave Ratchet another look with his bright red visor before moving on.

"Come on." Carbon said, moving off down the tunnel. Ratchet hesitated but then caught up to Carbon, keeping the bulk of the black miner between him and the offlined frame.

They quickly made it back to where Ratchet had left Sterling and Dusty. The grey mech was laying down on his side, arm curled under his helm. He tried to sit up when they walked in and it was obvious at just how close to stasis lock the mech was in.

"Oh good. Ya didn't forget 'bout meh." Sterling slurred, dull white optics onlining and focusing on Ratchet and Carbon.

"No, we didn't forget about you." Carbon said with a chuckle, crouching down beside the grey mech and steadying him. Ratchet ran a quick scan over the two miners before disconnecting the IV line.

"That's all he can give. He'll drop into stasis otherwise." Ratchet said, coiling the line to toss out later.

"Then let's get your sorry carcass out of here." Carbon said, throwing Sterling's good arm around his shoulder guards and heaving Sterling to his peds. The grey mech stumbled and nearly fell. "Stay with me mech."

"Ya ya ya ya…" Sterling mumbled, optics flickering.

"Here. Drink." Carbon ordered, subspacing a small flask and handing it to Sterling. The grey mech took a sip, coughed hard, then took a longer one.

"Wow. Where tah frag did ya get Chrome's grade?" Sterling demanded, shaking his helm sharply before Carbon took the flask back as Sterling tried to take another mouthful.

"Secret. Don't tell. That goes for you too Royal." Carbon said, glaring at Ratchet. "Chrome would skin all three of us."

"I didn't see nothing." He replied. The smell coming from the flask and Sterling's noticeably brighter optics was enough for him to tell that it had been high-grade. And a very potent grade.

"Smart mech." Carbon replied with a grin before he grimaced, coughing hoarsely.

"Weh getting' outta 'ere." Sterling growled, glaring at Carbon. In response the massive mech started folding down, his headlights changing position till a massive black dump truck sat in the middle of the narrow tunnel. Ratchet and Sterling were instantly throw into shadow as their main source of light was now pointed in the wrong direction.

"Get in Sterling. The Royal can handle Dusty." Carbon ordered.

"Ya sure?" Sterling asked, giving Ratchet a look.

"I got him." Ratchet said, holding Sterling's gaze. The grey mech nodded before managing to climb up into Carbon's box. As soon as he was in he gave a sigh and collapsed, his levels finally dropping too low and sending him into stasis lock, even with the rapid overcharge of the high-grade.

"Sterling!" Carbon cried, no doubt sensing the big mech collapse.

"He's in stasis lock, his levels dropped to low." Ratchet assured the black mech, glancing at him in concern before returning to Dusty.

Compared to the other miners, Dusty was tiny. Without most of his armor, he and Ratchet were the same size and height. He knew that Dusty shouldn't be moved without far better support but he also knew that if they didn't get out he would offline. Not wanting a repeat of the last time, he made sure to release the pressure in the damaged pistons in the miner's side before moving around to his good side. As carefully as he could he slid his arm under Dusty's right side, under his shoulder joints. He tried to support as much as the miner's chassis as possible, then slid his arm under his knee and hip joints.

The mech was heavier than he looked, his frame denser and far more durable than Ratchet's but he managed to pick up the miner, hearing metal grind against metal as his frame shifted.

"You alright?" Carbon demanded.

"Yeah I'm fine." Ratchet said, his attention on the miner. He carefully lifted the miner into Carbon's box before climbing in as well and double checking the mech and Sterling.

"Hang on. We're getting out of here." Carbon growled, his massive engine starting up with a near deafening roar. Ratchet clapped his servos over his audios at the sound, then grabbed the side of Carbon's box as the massive mech shifted into gear, headlights flooding the tunnel.

As they drove into the main tunnel, Ratchet saw that the supports that had fallen had been moved off to the side, no doubt by Axil and the others.

"Aw frag." Carbon growled suddenly and Ratchet glanced up in alarm.

"What. What!" Ratchet demanded again, bracing himself and Dusty as best as he could.

"That selion that you warned us about?"

"Yeah?"

"It's just gone critical."

"What does tha-" Ratchet started to ask before it felt like all the air was abruptly sucked out of the shaft.

"Fraggit!" Carbon spat. Having linked to their comms, Ratchet was able to listen to their frantic conversation and it made his armor crawl.

"**Axil, you copy!" **Carbon barked

"**Yeah, I felt it." **Axil replied.

"**You clear yet?"**

"**Yeah, Longhaul just got that last beam out of the way. Ironlock's got a dislocated hip. Chrome's got him."**

"**Get out of the way. This place is going to ignite."**

"**Copy that."**

"Ignite?! What do you mean ignite?!" Ratchet demanded.

"Selion isn't just a poisonous it's explosive. That vacuum you just felt?"

"Yeah?" Ratchet prodded.

"That's the pressure building up. We've out of time." Carbon replied gravely as he came upon the collapse, racing out of the entrance.

"Get out of the entrance!" Carbon barked as he drove out, pulling out of the line of the entrance and spinning around so he was facing the mine. There was a dull thump and a rush of hot air. Ratchet ducked, instinctively leaning over Dusty's badly damaged frame. The fire burned out in half a nano-klick and Chrome was instantly at Carbon's side, swinging his bulky form up over the edge into the box and landing beside Dusty.

"Frag, he's a mess." He stated matter of fact before swivelling on his peds to brace a servo on Sterling's shoulder.

"Sterling!" He yelled, roughly shaking the mech.

"Ah'm… online ya… ya glitch!" Sterling wheezed, onlining his optics and already glaring at Chrome.

"Good. Carbon, get us down to the medbay, Longhaul's taking Battleship down. Ironlock had a dislocated hip so he's off work for the rest of the orn." Chrome said as he shifted back to Ratchet. "You still functional?"

"I'll live. Dusty's in far worse shape than I am." Ratchet replied.

"Stay with him. I'll meet you at the 'bay." Chrome said before he skillfully jumped back out of the box, dropping into his alt mood before he had even touched the ground. With a spray of gravel, he veered in front of Carbon and took off down the track.

"You did good mechling." Carbon's deep voice rumbled through the plating under Ratchet's knee guards. The mech didn't respond, just kept his optics on Dusty, glancing up every now and then to see how close they were to the medbay.

Not soon enough for him they pulled up to the huge overhead door Ratchet had seen on the far wall. It was open and Longhaul was sitting just off to the side of it. Scrapper was sitting on the edge of his box, still cradling his arm as he watched the mayhem inside.

"Axil, help the royal. Sterling can ya walk or does Carbon need to carry you in here!" Chrome barked as he glanced up from bending over Battleship.

"Frag it Chrome, Ah can walk!" Sterling objected, trying to sit up and nearly toppling over. His servo went to his helm, jaw clenched in pain.

"Liar." Carbon growled as the dark grey mech walked over. Again Ratchet carefully slid his arms under Dusty and lifted him to his chassis, shifting so that he could hand the badly injured mech over to Axil.

"I got him. Just stay out of the way and wait for Chrome to yell at you." Axil said, his gaze neutral and for a moment Ratchet thought he just might be able to turn his back on the mech without fear of being murdered.

"Yessir." Ratchet replied, glancing at the grey miner. To his surprise the mech smirked, shaking his helm.

"Don't call me sir. The only 'sir' you need to be worried about is Chrome and Dusty. Makes me feel too important." He said as he turned and walked into the medbay. Ratchet watched him for a nano-klick more in curiosity before jumping out of Carbon's box. He kept his grip on the thick edge of the box as a spike of pain shot up his leg. He had forgotten about tripping. He refused to cry out though and instead gritted his denta before straightening. Sterling abruptly slid out of the box as well and only Carbon exploding upward in what Ratchet figured was the fasted transformation he had ever seen to catch the grey mech was the only thing that kept him from collapsing to the ground. Carbon stabilised him by throwing Sterling's arm over his shoulder guards, nearly carrying the mech inside the medbay to help him onto the massive berth Ratchet had seen earlier. Chrome grabbed the edge of the berth, pulling it away from the wall.

"Royal!" He barked and Ratchet walked over to where Chrome was standing over one of the steel tables, already servo deep in Dusty's chassis. He tried to hide his limp from the burning look of the tan miner but the miner's vivid red optics tracked him.

"Fraggin royal." The miner, Sandstorm, growled from where he was standing beside a semi-conscious Battleship. "Went and twisted his ankle."

"Sandstorm mute it and get out!" Chrome spat, shooting the tan mech a heated glare. Sandstorm straitened from leaning against the wall, uncrossing his arms to drop them at his side before glaring at Ratchet and stalking outside.

"Everybody out! I don't need you all taking up space! Scrapper, get your aft on a berth and stay there. Royal, I said get over here!" Chrome yelled.

"Sir." Ratchet stammered, walking up beside the medic as everyone not injured left the room and the light grey mech, Scrapper, sat on the edge of the remaining berth. The other two were already taken up by Battleship, and Dusty.

Carbon remained to close the overhead door before pressing his back into the corner, arms crossed over his massive chassis as he silently watched. It was un-nerving how silent the mech was, only by concentrating could Ratchet even hear his engine rumbling quietly.

Chrome was already up to his servos in Dusty's innards and Ratchet felt another wave of nausea as the terminated miner flashed across his processor again.

"Go check Battleship, Scrapper and Sterling over again. Seals may have broken loose and they could be leaking internally again." Chrome said, not even looking up from digging into the miner's chassis. "Check Sterling first, I already gave Battle a quick one over at the mine but something may have come loose. Well get going, we got a lot of work to do."

* * *

**And the fun just never stops. Personnaly I love it how Carbon has smuggled Chrome's high-grade. Just had to throw that in there. **

**So glad you guys are finding this! Hope you enjoy. **

**On a side note, I know I said I had a bunch of chapters that were done, well I forgot to write one. I have half the number I thought I did. Hopefully will finish it before I run out of finished chapters. **

**R and R please!**


	3. Warning

**Still made it! Wow, a week goes by fast.. yeesh.**

**First off, a HUGE thanks to L.J. Gryphon for beta'ing this thing, wow, she does an amazing job.**

**Neon: Glad the guide helped. As for when the War starts... yeah that's gonna be a long time in the coming. This is gonna be a massive story and quite frankly, I'm gonna have blast attempting to take this all the way. **

**Answerthecall: Oh trust me, I hope its better then the original ;) I'm glad you like it so far.**

**Child of John snow: yep. Lots of fun stuff. Poor Ratchet...**

* * *

"Check Sterling first, I already gave Battle a quick once over at the mine but something may have come loose," Chrome ordered, digging around in Dusty's chassis. "Well get going, we got a lot of work to do."

"Chrome, I didn't have time to give Sterling—" Carbon started to ask from his corner, but at a sharp look from the medic he shut up. Chrome glared at him a moment longer, obviously on a private comm. with the miner, before pulling his servos out of Dusty. He subspaced a rag, drying the energon and coolant off his servos before subspacing two capped needles to hand to Ratchet.

"Give that to him. It will sting a little, but serves the fragger right," Chrome said as Ratchet took the syringes before his servos disappeared back into Dusty's chassis. Ratchet glanced at the murky white liquid curiously in one of the needles as he scanned it. He didn't recognise the substance inside. The other, though, was a fairly common painkiller called Novrin.

"What is this?" Ratchet asked, glancing up at Chrome as he held up the unknown liquid.

"Homemade. Helps keep the selion down. Stick'em both in his bad shoulder," Chrome instructed after a klick as Ratchet finally moved over to Sterling. He caught Carbon giving Chrome a pointed look but the black mech didn't say anything. Even though he was the only miner that hadn't been hostile to him, it made Ratchet's armor stand on edge when that piercing red gaze locked onto his frame. They held optics for a moment longer before Carbon shifted his positon, breaking the contact, and Ratchet released a vent. Without Carbon burning a hole in his back he moved to Sterling's missing arm, easily finding an intact energon line deep in the joint and injecting the first needle into it.

"Oh, tha's nice," Sterling hissed, visibly relaxing against the berth. Ratchet wondered just what he had given the mech.

"You ok?" Carbon asked, concerned as Ratchet injected him with the Novrin.

"Yeah. Tha'll clear tah vents up," Sterling said with a harsh chuckle as Ratchet inspected what was left of his arm. While the energon lines had been crudely sealed, not much else had been done. Hydraulic and coolant lines were still dripping even though his self-repair systems had nearly stopped the flow of fluids.

What surprised him the most was that instead of a single, load bearing strut and two hydraulics to move his arm, he could see the remains of three hydraulic cylinders. They were jagged and sharp from where a blade had quickly hacked though the three shafts and the strut, no doubt freeing him from the collapse.

"Seal off the lines for now and get an IV in him. He's making a mess on my floor," Chrome growled.

"Yessir," Ratchet replied. Carbon made a show of rolling his optics as Sterling snorted roughly.

"Sorry tah beh ah pain in ya aft," he grumbled as Ratchet found the IV bag of medical grade energon and inserted it into his shoulder.

"No you're not. If you were you'd quit getting yourself blown up," Chrome replied, and as Ratchet sealed a still leaking hydraulic line he felt Sterling wince.

"Chrome…" Carbon trailed off, a pained look in his optics.

"What happened?" Chrome demanded, pausing to glance over at Sterling at Carbon's tone.

"Ah caused tah explosion. Ah messed up…" Sterling said quietly, optics straight ahead. "Piper an' Dusty got tah worst o' tah blast. Battle an' Ah got caught in tah cave in, Carbon and Longhaul got us out."

Ratchet sent a quick look at Battleship. The mech was in recharge, the stump of his leg sealed over with temp plating to keep it clean, with his arms crossed over his chassis.

"Frag. What about you and Iron?" Chrome asked, directing the question at Scrapper and regaining Ratchet's attention.

"Frag if I know. The ceiling just collapsed. We were farther inside the shaft," Scrapper said with a one-sided shrug. "Axil, the fragger, got missed entirely."

"Go figure. I swear that mech has all the luck," Carbon said as Ratchet finished up on Sterling.

"Scrapper's next so that he can be sent back out," Chrome added, seeing that Ratchet was done. Ratchet nodded, subspacing a rag to clean off his servos as Sterling made a show of rolling his optics, and walked over to the grey mech. He hesitated at the warning growl that came from the miner's engine.

"For Primus' sake Scrapper!" Chrome barked, "I'm busy here and Sandy and the others will need all the help they can get to get that fraggin mess cleaned up."

"I just don't see why you need the help of a royal," The mech replied.

"I don't. But he's here so let him look at your arm, then get the frag out!"

Scrapper growled lowly again, this time at Chrome, before grudgingly holding his arm out. Ratchet gently took his wrist to ease the pressure off his elbow joint before scanning it. Just as he thought, the gears in the joint were misaligned.

"I need access to the joint. It shouldn't take more than a couple klicks," Ratchet reassured, glancing at Scrapper. In response there was a quiet click as his bracer and elbow guard released to expose the complex maze of parts and wiring that made up his joint. Two of the main gears were grinding against each other every time his arm shifted, sending sparks into the wiring and making the big miner wince. It only took a few klicks to loosen the offset gear and reset it to properly line up with the others.

"Just take it easy for a few joors, it will still be sore," Ratchet said as he folded the miner's armor back into place. Without even acknowledging Ratchet, Scrapper stood up, shouldering past him toward the door.

"Scrapper!" Chrome yelled.

"What?" Scrapper snapped.

"You heard the Royal, take it easy for a few joors. You strip that joint and it will be few orns before I can get you a replacement," Chrome growled, glancing up and giving the miner a look that could peel paint.

"Yessir," Scrapper growled before walking outside.

"How you holding up Royal?" Chrome asked.

"I can keep going," Ratchet lied as he turned to face the medic. In truth he was so tired he was ready to collapse. It had been the middle of the orn by the time he had come out of recharge and got to the medbay. By now the sun was starting to set again and he was exhausted.

"I don't tolerate lying."

"I'm fine, I can keep going. My leg doesn't bother me that much," Ratchet insisted.

"I'm not talking about your leg," Chrome said, giving the yellow mech a look that Ratchet could almost take as concerned. "Carbon told me you saw Piper."

Just the mention of the terminated miner's designation was enough to make him cringe, the horrible scene replaying in his processor.

"I…" Ratchet paused, forcing down the urge to purge his tanks. "I'm fine. I'll… I'll be ok."

"You sure?" Chrome asked. "I'll bet it wasn't a pretty sight. It takes a strong tank to handle the view of a burnt frame. Pit, the smell is usually what gets—"

Chrome didn't finish as Ratchet gave a chocked cough and bolted outside, just making it around the back of the medbay to a trash bin before his tanks finally rebelled. He gagged hard, tanks heaving again as he purged everything he had consumed that orn. When he was done he spat the sour taste from his mouth, wiping his lip plates on the back of his servo as he focused on venting. A massive shadow engulfed him from behind and he flinched, realising just how pitiful and weak he must look.

"That was cruel of Chrome," Carbon said quietly, EM field flaring in what was almost a gesture of comfort.

"You must think I'm pathetic," Ratchet wheezed, gripping the edges of the bin tighter till the rough metal was biting into his servos.

"No. Everyone gets sick. I did."

"I can't believe I thought I could do this," Ratchet said in a barely audible voice. Carbon's field was still brushing against his and he felt it retract for a moment. "I thought I knew what I was doing but this is ridiculous."

"It's not always like this. This orn just happened to be a bad one. A mech terminated this orn and it's hard on everyone," Carbon replied. "It's why Chrome is even letting you stick around this long. This caught him off guard. Caught us all off guard. You're doing good, mechling. A lot better than any of us thought. I figured you would have run joors ago."

"No, I finish a job," Ratchet said, glancing to look up at the mech towering over him.

"Then get back inside and finish." Carbon took a step back, giving the much smaller mech some personal space as he walked back into the medbay.

"You going to be alright now?" Chrome asked, glancing up at Ratchet as he worked on Dusty.

"Yeah. Thanks," Ratchet replied tiredly, unable to look at the medic.

"Good. Sterling finally went into recharge so I can get Carbon out." The medic gave Carbon a pointed look. Carbon growled lowly, but at an even darker look from Chrome he turned around and walked out of the medbay, the deep roar of his engine filling the space a moment later.

"Sit down," Chrome said suddenly, drawing Ratchet's attention back to him.

"Huh?"

"Sit down. I need to fix your leg," Chrome repeated, pulling his servos from Dusty's chassis and walking over to clean them in a sink set into the counters. "That will hurt to transform so get on the table."

"I don't want to be in the way," Ratchet started to say, but was quickly cut off.

"Sit!" came the barked command and Ratchet jumped immediately onto the table, letting his legs hang off the side before turning slightly to watch Chrome. He had already done a self-diagnosis and he had badly pinched a nerve wire. He dulled the pain receptors in his leg but it was still hurting a lot now that he was actually paying attention to it.

"Legs up," Chrome ordered, tapping the table with his open palm. Ratchet did as told, swinging his legs up and wincing when his bad ankle joint rested on the table.

"Pinched a wire," Chrome said as he gently bent his leg at the knee, exposing his ankle joint and the pinched wire better. "Disabled your pain receptors?"

"Yeah. I… tripped over Piper," Ratchet said solemnly, suppressing a shudder. Chrome froze, glancing at Ratchet sharply. Regret filled his optics for a moment.

"I didn't know," Chrome said after a moment, dropping his gaze.

"Just bad luck," Ratchet replied, also glancing away as he felt Chrome poke his ankle. It was one thing to work on a mech, a whole other mess to watch someone work on him. The procedure was simple enough, as most of the time it was gears that a wire got pinched in. It was usually pretty painful as it involved splitting the gears apart to get the wire out.

"This might hurt. Kick me and I'll scrap you."

"Yessir," Ratchet stammered, gripping the side of the table. To his relief and complete shock, he hardly felt anything as Chrome easily split the gears and removed the wire. Instantly he felt the pain stop as Chrome removed the small wedge he had used, carful to make sure the gears meshed properly.

"Good as new, just watch it jumping off," Chrome said, straightening from leaning over Ratchet's ankle. With a nod Ratchet slid off the table, making sure to keep his weight off his leg.

"I didn't even feel that," he commented, glancing at Chrome. The medic smirked.

"Course you didn't. I know what I'm doing," the medic replied, moving off to the sink once more.

"Is there anything else you need?" Ratchet asked.

"No, not right now," Chrome replied as he dried his servos and walked toward the cabinet closest to the medbay. The door was locked with a passcode that he typed in, opening it to the mech. He quickly scanned the jars and containers, finally picking one up with a clear liquid. "Here," he said, subspacing a syringe and inserting it into the lid. He drew the liquid into the syringe before pulling it free and capping it. He handed the needle to Ratchet, and after a slight pause the yellow mech took it. A quick scan revealed a mild sedative.

"Assemic?" Ratchet asked.

"You'll need that to recharge tonight. It's fast acting so only take it at home," Chrome replied. Ratchet nodded, knowing that the orn's events would be haunting him for a long time.

"Thanks," he said quietly before heading toward the door.

"Ratchet?" Chrome called softly, armor tight against his frame. "I didn't know it would be this bad. I would never have allowed you to go in that mine if I had known what was there. I don't care if you're a Royal or not, that was hard for anyone."

"Someone needed to go and I was the only one that could have made it," Ratchet said with a shrug, glancing over his shoulder guard at the scarred mech. A dark look was in his optics. "Dusty would have offlined."

"There's a wash rack in the back. You can get cleaned up before you leave," Chrome said, gesturing toward the back room. "Just don't terminate yourself on the scrap metal I got laying around."

Ratchet nodded before heading in that direction.

"Around the corner on the right," Chrome called as he turned, seeing the doorway half blocked by a pile of scrap metal.

"Found it," Ratchet called back, sidestepping past the scrap and into the big room. The corner was walled off from the dryer on the floor and he stepped into the wash rack, tapping the dial on the wall. Ice cold cleaner blasted on his shoulders and he gasped in shock.

"It's touchy," Chrome warned too late. After a moment the cleaner warmed up, and he let it soak into his frame. The grime and fluids that had built up over the orn were washed slowly out of his joints. He cleaned up quickly, knowing he would take a longer, much hotter one, when he got home. Shutting the tap off, he stepped around the wall into the fans, letting the powerful dryer blast his armor.

"You good?" Chrome asked when he finally walked out, only fifteen klicks later.

"Yeah, I'll clean up better when I get home. At least now I won't scare my roommate," Ratchet chuckled lightly, knowing all too well that Focus would have a spark failure anyways.

"Then in that case, I'll see you next orn," Chrome said before turning and walking back to Dusty. Ratchet nodded at his back, then turned and left. He folded into his alt mode easily, his leg not bothering him at all, before pulling away and driving back home.

ooOOoo

"Where the frag have you been?!" Focus yelled as soon as Ratchet stumbled into the apartment over a joor later.

"Busy," he replied simply, heading straight for the wash racks. Focus grabbed his arm and Ratchet stopped, sighing heavily.

"What did you do to yourself?" Focus demanded, white optics giving his scratched and slightly dented frame a double take. "You look like you got run over by a shuttle!"

"I feel like it. Look, I've had a long orn, I'm going to recharge. Don't bother me," Ratchet stated simply, shaking off Focus' grip. The pale green mech was having none of it and stuck his arm out to bar the way.

"Ratchet, I've been worried sick about you! You said you'd be gone for a few joors, not all fraggin' orn!" he said. "Not to mention you tell me that if you're not back you've been pulverised! Where have you been?"

"I may or may not have done something stupid," Ratchet replied before shoving past his roommate. "Chrome wants me back—"

"Chrome?!"

Ratchet cringed at the mech's harsh yell.

"Chrome. As in that half cracked glitched miner? Are you out of your processor?!"

"No. I'm tired, I need a proper shower, and I feel like slag," Ratchet said, armor flaring slightly in annoyance.

"Ratchet, I'm serious! Those mechs are dangerous!" Focus insisted.

"Oh, I know all about that," Ratchet muttered, rolling his optics as he crossed his arms to wait for Focus' rant to end.

"What's that supposed to mean? You went up there?!"

"Yes. They're decent mechs."

"Mech-suh?! As in plural? Ratchet, how—"

"Stop yelling, you'll annoy the neighbours again," Ratchet interrupted.

"How glitched are you?" Focus demanded in an exaggerated whisper. "They will stab you in the back as soon as they look at you! We don't _belong_ over there! Outside of Iacon, that's miner territory! Past the Outer Rings is nothing by turbofoxes and those half-feral mechs!"

"They're not feral. Most of them are just as sane as you and I," Ratchet said, then paused as he realised what he'd said. "Well, neither of us are sane but you get my point."

"Yes, and I'm quite sure that you are glitched," Focus huffed.

"Thank you," Ratchet replied before spinning on his ped and stalking into the wash rack. He had cleaned the energon and other fluids off his frame as best as he could but letting the hot cleaning agent work its way into his armor and down his protoform was the most wonderful thing he had felt in a long time.

After soaking for almost a joor he finally stepped out into the dryer, letting the hot air blast his frame dry before darting into his berth room, making sure the door was locked before Focus caught him. With a groan he collapsed faceplate first onto the berth before shifting slightly, finally rolling onto his back to stare at the ceiling. He subspaced the needle Chrome had given him, watching the way the light from his optics refracted off the glass and the Assemic inside. He sat up stiffly, knowing he would never be able to recharge otherwise, and with a sigh took the cap off. Pressing the plunger slightly, he made sure there was no air in the syringe before inserting the needle into his arm between his bracer. He felt the drug start to slow his processor as he carefully replaced the cap and subspaced the needle again.

He was unconscious by the time his helm hit the pillow.

ooOOoo

"**-chet? Ratchet? Royal!"**

Ratchet sat bolt upright, a near stasis deep recharge lifting in a rush. He rubbed at his optics tiredly before he remembered that he had been commed.

"**Chrome! Sorry! I didn't—" **he stammered.

"**Told you that stuff worked,"** The medic chuckled, clearly amused. **"I expected you here almost two joors ago. Sterling's online and I want another set of servos to help me build Battle's leg and Dusty's chassis."**

"**Yeah, I'll be there ASAP," **Ratchet replied as he swung his legs over the edge of the berth.

"**Good. You've got work to do," **Chrome said before he cut the comm. With a sigh, Ratchet rubbed at his optics again and with a groan he finally stood, staggering into the main room to down some energon before leaving.

"You're up late," Focus commented dryly, sprawled out on the couch and holding a cube of energon.

"I was tired," Ratchet said as he opened a cupboard.

"Sure, and the drugs I'm picking up in your systems are…?" Focus prodded. Ratchet stiffened before turning to give the pale green mech a burning look.

"You _scanned_ me?!" he demanded.

"Course I did! You looked like scrap metal!" Focus defended. "Scrap metal that had been trampled, run over, and then sent though a pulveriser."

"Trampled and run over are the same thing," Ratchet growled, taking a sip of energon.

"That's not the point! That was a sedative. What the frag are you doing taking Assemic?!"

"None of your business," Ratchet said quietly, all the anger leaving his systems.

"Like frag it's not," Focus grumbled.

"Look, I saw… things. Ok?" Ratchet said after a moment. "Chrome said it would help me recharge."

"Things? What kind of things?" Focus asked in a mixture of curiosity and alarm.

"Stuff I'm not going to repeat." Ratchet finished the cube and tossed it in the trash. "Chrome wants me back, there's a lot of repairs that need to happen."

"Ratchet—" Focus started to say before cutting himself off. "Just…" he hesitated, "just be careful. I've heard rumors about Chrome and those miners he keeps as oversized bodyguards. They won't hesitate to offline you."

"I know that. I also know that if I hadn't been there last orn, Piper wouldn't have been the only one to terminate," Ratchet said before walking outside the apartment room.

ooOOoo

"If ya take ah still shot it'll last longer."

Ratchet jumped from where he had been trying to study Sterling without being caught. He thought the miner was still in recharge, and he had taken the time to run a few more scans just to try and figure out the mech's frame. At some point the miner had gotten cleaned up, his grey armor was now a brilliant silver after the dirt and grime was off. Like everyone else, scars crisscrossed his frame, but the most curious ones were four equally spaced scars that went diagonal across his chassis. Judging from the weld buildup they had been serious. Further scans revealed that the same scars were deep enough to scar the protoform. Also, the extra hydraulic in his arm were not the only upgrades he had. His entire frame had been reinforced with more hydraulics and support struts, not to mention his heavy armor.

The most bizarre thing though was that someone had put a few pillows under his legs to prop his knee joints off the berth. As Ratchet watched, hot air was cycling out from somewhere behind the knee joints and he had been trying to figure out why. He thought it had something to do with the extra armor on his lower legs, but he was clueless. There were no vital systems that would be putting out that much heat that would need vents like that.

"Sorry, I didn't mean…" Ratchet stammered, trailing off before realising that Sterling had sounded _amused_.

"Nev'a seen ah frame like mah 'ave ya?" Sterling asked, onlining his optics to smirk at the yellow mech.

"No. Not—no," Ratchet replied, armor flattening tightly to his frame in embarrassment.

"Relax. It's all legal," Chrome called from where he was still working on Dusty, "I did most of it myself."

"Cept teh spikes. Ah made those," Sterling spoke up. Chrome gave him a simmering look before huffing in annoyance and dropping his optics to the miner under his servos.

"Not the spikes again!" Battleship moaned loudly. "Would you shut up about them already? Primus, every time you get damaged it's always about your precious spikes."

"Ah happen tah like mah spikes an' last tahm Ah checked they've saved ya spark ah few more tahms then ya want tah admit," Sterling snapped.

"Yes you built and designed those spikes of yours," Chrome muttered. "Let the mech upgrade his own frame once and right away it goes to his processor."

"Spikes?" Ratchet asked curiously. Sterling nodded as he bent his left leg at the knee, propping his right leg up on his knee guard. With a slight wince at shifting his position, he reached for his lower leg, digits sliding under the armor.

"Elp meh with this. Ah can't get it off with one servo," Sterling growled under his breath. Ratchet walked over just as half the armor covering his lower leg came loose. He was surprised at just how thick the armor was as he set it aside.

"Sterling—" Chrome objected, turning to give the mech another dark look.

"Would ya relax already? Ah need tah make sure tah hydraulic wasn't damaged anyway," Sterling interrupted. "Ah scuffed mah leg up pretty bad."

"Do _not_ wreck your shoulder more."

"Ah won't. Royal 'ere can 'elp." Sterling jerked his helm in Ratchet's direction.

"Fine," Chrome said finally and Ratchet once again returned his attention to the miner. He stared at the maze of wires and tubing that fed into circuit boards with a massive hydraulic cylinder that ran the entire length of his lower leg. The thing was as big around as Ratchet's bracer, and suddenly the vents made sense.

"What," Ratchet started to ask in surprise, optics following the wiring where they breached his protoform and fed into various systems, "did you do to yourself?"

"Being an aft, go figure," Battle put in, earning a snort of amusement from Chrome and a dark look from Sterling.

"It braces mahself. Well, normally it does."

"I told you a hundred times, that wiring system you're using won't work!" Chrome called. "Shorted it out, didn't you?"

"No Ah didn't!" Sterling objected. "It came loose."

Chrome snorted. "Sure it did."

"I see it," Ratchet replied, optics following the wires to where they had broken off a connection.

"See? Told ya Ah knew what Ah was doin'," Sterling said with a huff.

"Sure you did," Chrome muttered as Ratchet started to repair the broken wiring. It only took a few klicks, but Ratchet was surprised at just how hot the wiring got once the connection was repaired.

"It's shorting out somewhere, that's why it's so hot." He scanned the wring to try and pinpoint the source.

"Nope," Sterling replied, "jus' 'ow teh wirin' is. Ah 'ave vents on tah back o' mah legs tah cool it down bu' they got all clogged up. Chrome 'elped meh clean out tah filters so it'll cool off in ah bit. Now move it. Ah want tah see if tah spike's still straight. Watch yaself."

Ratchet stepped aside as the hydraulic cylinder fired, a razor sharp spike stabbing out though a groove in Sterling's ped to stick out a good six and a half feet. More than enough to impale him.

"Wow," Ratchet stammered, optics wide in surprise as he stared at the black tipped spike.

"Yep. Hurt like tah Pit tah have 'em installed but they work like ah charm," Sterling replied with a grin as he reached over, running his servo up and down the spike. He paused, scowling, and ran his servo over the spike again.

"Bent ah little," he muttered before retracting the spike back into his leg.

"Want the armor back on?" Ratchet asked.

"Naw, feels good tah 'ave it off. Armors got tah be tha' thick ta protect it and it's 'eavy," Sterling replied, relaxing back against the berth, optics already half shuttered.

All of a sudden he went stiff, gaze snapping over to Chrome as he received a private comm, and then his white optics snapped back to Ratchet. He avoided the mech's piercing gaze, his silver frame making his white optics that much more intense. His anxiety skipped at the snarl that came from Battle.

"Royal."

Ratchet felt his armor flare in fear at Chrome's deep snarl. It was nothing like he had heard before, and he turned toward the medic hesitantly.

"Sir?" he asked nervously.

"Get your aft over here," Chrome spat, vivid green optics almost white in sudden anger.

Armor tight on his frame, he did as ordered.

"My side," Chrome ordered, shifting his weight slightly as Ratchet moved to stand beside him on Dusty's bad side. He was shocked at the hostility in the medic's EM field.

Almost all of the burnt wiring and fuel lines had been replace as well as the broken hydraulics had been removed. Temporary struts had been welded in place to keep his chassis from collapsing and potentially damaging his spark chamber.

"Care to elaborate?" Chrome snarled, his servo sliding back into Dusty's chassis to lift the main energon line that fed energon to his spark. The fresh weld mark and a small part of the broken hydraulic shaft was still shiny compared to the scorch marks on the rest of Dusty's internal systems.

"Chrome, I didn't mean to," Ratchet said quietly, armor flat against his frame. "It was an accident, I made a mistake—"

He was cut off with a snarl as Chrome grabbed his shoulder guard, spinning him around and shoving him toward the back room.

"You spawn of a glitch!" Chrome yelled, shoving Ratchet roughly against the wall. "You think I wouldn't have found that?! You could have terminated Dusty!"

"The shaft slipped, it was an accident!" Ratchet protested, knowing that it was almost pointless to argue with the furious mech.

"You're lucky I was too busy trying to save his life. I should have set Sandstorm on you!" Chrome spat, servos darting out to grab Ratchet by his shoulder guards, lifting him to slam him into the wall again and pinning him there at optic level. "You royals are all the same, thinking we're nothing but bait metal drones! That all we're good for is Elite mechs like you to cut us open and practise on!"

"Chrome, I swear I didn't mean to!"

"Like frag you didn't," Chrome snarled, releasing Ratchet and he collapsed to the floor, vents heaving in raw terror. Focus' warning about the miners flashed through his processor too late.

"Get out!" He yelled, jabbing a digit in the direction of the door. Ratchet scrambled to his peds, bolting out of the room only to run into a solid mass of black metal and bounce off. A massive servo clapped onto his arm before he could bolt again and Carbon's rumbling voice filled the room.

"Chrome, what's going on?" He asked, his grip on Ratchet's arm tightening in warning when the mech tried to get free. In the span of a spark beat the mech that had comforted him last orn was suddenly the mech that might murder him.

"That pit spawn nearly terminated Dusty!" Chrome spat, optics white in rage. "He didn't release the pressure in that broken hydraulic. The shaft slipped and tore open a main line. Not to mention then he went and locked down the other shafts. He's lucky they weren't fully retracted and I caught it right away. He would have suffocated!"

"What?!" Carbon barked, his grip nearly crushing Ratchet's arm now as he glared down at the yellow mech with glowing red optics. "You told me he was fine!"

Retched didn't answer as there was nothing for him to say that would help him. He had messed up, he should never have come here where there was no law to help him.

"What happened?" Carbon demanded.

"How the frag could you ever let a royal work on Dusty? I told you this was a bad idea!" Battle growled.

"If he was moved the shaft could have punctured his spark chamber. I thought I did the right thing," Ratchet said quietly, still trying to put as much distance between him and Chrome. He winced when Carbon's grip tightened even more, making his thin armor creak in protest and his engine whine in pain. "I forgot to lock the piston before I cut the shaft free and it moved. I didn't realise it was still under pressure. I locked the other ones so that they wouldn't shift when he was moved."

Chrome was silent, green white optics still locked on Ratchet before shifting to Carbon. Chrome's scowl deepened before his armor started to settle slightly.

"You don't know what those pistons are for, do you?" Chrome growled, gaze sliding back to Ratchet. Ratchet hesitated in answering. He didn't want to sound like he had forgot his training already but he honestly had no idea.

"I asked you a question, Royal!" Chrome barked, making Ratchet flinch again.

"No, I don't," He said finally, optics still downcast. He missed Carbon and Chrome sharing a look; Carbon's pointed, Chrome's hesitant.

With an angry snarl Chrome spun away, stalking over to Dusty and leaning heavily on the steel table.

"Get your aft over here," He growled again, this time with less intentional venom.

Ratchet was about to hesitate, but the impressive bulk of Carbon nudging him forward in what was more of a full out shove changed his processor as he stumbled forward. Shooting the black miner a look that was a cross between annoyance and pure terror he stepped to Chrome's side, watching him.

"Those pistons that snapped, they take pressure off our vents," Chrome said, pointing to them. "We're already working our frames hard, and with that selion we have a tendency to overheat. The thick armor we've got to have to protect ourselves doesn't help that fact. I've got Dusty's chassis braced so his own frame isn't crushing his vents."

Ratchet opened his mouth to ask something but hesitated, scared to even speak after his brush with termination.

"Ask already," Chrome growled, turning his helm just enough to glare at Ratchet.

"Why…?" He started to ask, then hesitated again, engine whining in distress. "Why didn't… didn't I know that?"

Chrome snorted, dropping his helm to hide a smirk.

"I studied hard at the Acadamy. I don't remember anything about… about a mech's own frame suffocating him," Ratchet stated.

"Because it isn't a standard upgrade," Chrome said. "Most mechs don't have it. Sterling does, Carbon does, Dusty does, Longhual doesn't, does he?"

"No. Not tha' ah know of. Bu' Scrapper does," Sterling spoke up.

"Right, and Sandy and Axil have that upgrade. I know a bunch of other mechs in different gangs that do as well," Chrome continued with a sigh. "Point is, you're lucky you've got ignorance on your side. Make that mistake again," he paused to turn and fully face Ratchet, "you won't live to regret it. Is that clear?"

"Yessir," Ratchet replied, struggling to hold the medic's now bright green glare. He couldn't handle the pressure though and dropped his optics. A thought flashed though his processor and his helm snapped up. "Wait, mistake _again_? As in… you want me to keep coming back?" he asked.

"Chrome, you can't be serious!" Battle objected hotly.

"Frag off Battle, 'ee did ah pit of ah good job," Sterling snarled.

"I don't see why not. I forgot how handy it is to have another set of _small_ servos." Chrome said, giving Sterling a pointed look before returning to Dusty.

"Fine, next tahm Ah'll let teh boss leak out. Ya can explain tah Auzie why 'er mate didn't come home." Sterling grumbled, crossing his single arm with a huff.

"You—you're serious?" Ratchet asked in shock. "You're willing to mentor me?"

"Like I said, I could use the extra servos. Especially now," Chrome said with a shrug.

"Chrome, Ah always knew ya 'ad ah few screws loose," Sterling said, "bu' this tops every stunt ya've pulled befo'."

"I expect you to work though. More than likely when Dusty comes back online he'll try and get you on the payroll. That means you've got to pull your weight and that may mean having to help out in the mine." Chrome paused to turn back to Ratchet. "You ditch on me, it looks bad on all of us and I will not stand for it. Either you do this and you stick to me, or you walk your shiny Elite aft out of my medbay and never come back. Compute?"

"Yessir," Ratchet agreed, unable to stop the faint smile from touching his lip plates. Chrome had nearly off'd him not even fifteen klicks ago and now he was offering to take him on?

"Well then as your mentor, I, Chrome, swear to teach you, to the best of my abilities, all the medical processes and procedures that you will be required to know to complete your medical degree until I, as a registered medic, deem you fit to finish your training and become a fully qualified medic," Chrome said easily, quoting the first part of the Mentorship Oath.

"And I, Ratchet, as your apprentice, swear to uphold you and your reputation as a medic to the highest standards possible while learning, to the best of my abilities, all that you teach me until you deem my studies complete," Ratchet replied, finishing the Oath. He realised a vent of air that he hadn't realised he had been holding. Sterling was openly smirking by now and when he turned to Carbon he was a little surprised to see a troubled look on the black miner's faceplates. He could still feel Battle's furious glare burning to the back of his helm, but he ignored the mech.

"And I, as your mentor, swear to protect you not just from our job, but anyone that threatens your position as _my_ apprentice to the extent of, unless you do something stupid, losing my position as a medic in this gang," Chrome said with such a possessive edge that Ratchet turned back to him in shock. Not only had he changed the Mentorship Oath, he had just sworn to protect Ratchet with his career. While Carbon, Axil, and Sterling hadn't tried to chew him a new exhaust port yet, he had feared that Sandstorm, Battleship, and the others would make his life here a living pit.

"Thank you," Ratchet said quietly. For the first time since coming here he was able to hold his new mentor's gaze longer than a klick. Behind him, Carbon finally smirked, nodding his helm in silent agreement.

* * *

**Again, massive thanks to Gryphon for beta'ing. **

**Don't forget to read and review!**


	4. Repairs

**Sorry guys, but I've been having issues re-typing chapter 5 and I hate not updating for a month. I think it's only been three weeks... sorry. That being said, I've finally got an idea so I'm working on that and I hope I'll be able to post on time next time.**

**Huge thanks to L.J. Gryphon who I've dumped all my chapters on to beta. Means a lot even though I posted this before I sent it to you... I went and tweaked it again... *heh heh***

**Reviews! I love you guys!**

**Princess Kassie: I love this story, I really do and I want to finish it. That being said, my writing style has changed so much from the old chapter 1 to where I got on chapter 20-something that I just had to rewrite it and tweak stuff to make the whole thing make more sense.**

**Guest: I'm glad you're enjoying it so far.**

**Answerthecall: Yeah, he has a lot to learn. And it's so much fun rewriting everything. I just have to laugh. **

**Neon: Yes he still is. I'm going off of movie-verse with whatever the heck I call what I'm doing but basically, I kinda figured that Ratchet and Ironhide are about the same size, about twenty feet tall while Prime stands at about 25. That being said, at this moment, Ratchet's about 17 feet tall and Chrome is 20.**

**Child of John snow: Yes, something like that does happen and actually, I've completely tweaked it. You'll have to see what I do with it. :)**

* * *

With the legalities out of the way, Chrome's gaze released Ratchet and turned to Carbon, completely ignoring Battle sputtering in shock and anger on his berth.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, arms crossed over his chassis and Ratchet sidestepped to allow Chrome to watch Carbon better.

"Found something of Sterling's. Thankfully it's still salvageable." Carbon said, subspacing a mesh wrapped object.

"There's your first job royal. You know how to prep a new limb?" Chrome asked, gaze sliding to the bright yellow mech.

"Yessir?" Ratchet asked nervously, taking the wrapped object. A look of surprise crossed his faceplates at its weight before being replaced a disturbed look.

"If something's salvageable, I flush it, repair the damaged and reattach the limb." Chrome said, watching the mech closely. If he could handle Dusty, he could handle reattaching Sterling's arm.

"Ya found mah arm?!" Sterling demanded, sitting up.

"What's left of it. You're bracer's gonna need to be beat out and I doubt the subspace pocket is functional." Carbon said with a shrug.

"You gonna purge again?" Chrome asked, seeing the look on Ratchet's faceplates.

"No…" He said hesitantly.

"Work on the counter then, I want to make sure you do it right." Chrome said and with a slow nod Ratchet started toward the counters by the sink. "What about Battle?" Chrome asked, turning his attention back to Carbon.

"Still looking. Anything left of Dusty we'll have to scrape off the wall." He said, wincing when he heard Ratchet's vents choke.

"**And Piper?" **Chrome asked, switching to comms for his, Primus help him, new apprentice's sanity.

"**He was burnt pretty badly. There's nothing we can salvage." **Carbon replied, anger flashing though his vivid red optics.

"**Frag."**

"**Yeah. I need to get back up there, things are going slow enough as is. Dusty's gonna make it right?" **Carbon asked. **"Have you even gotten any recharge?"**

"**Course he'll make it. It may be a while before he's back up on his peds, depending if and when Arachnid comes back into town."** Chrome said with a sigh, ignoring Carbon question. They both knew the medic hadn't moved from Dusty side since he was delivered to his medbay.

"**You do have the parts right?" **

"**Yeah yeah. I have most of it. Worst case scenario and I rebuild his frame from scratch. I might have to kidnap Axil for that but I'll figure something out. After all,"** Chrome said with a chuckle. **"I just got a fraggin apprentice. Primus, I must be glitched."**

"You need the help Chrome and don't deny it." Carbon said out loud when Chrome opened his mouth to object. "Oh, Sterling. Here." Carbon added, walking over to his best friend. He subspaced something that Chrome couldn't see from his angle but Sterling's optics lit up.

"Ha! Ah hoped it was still in one piece." He said with a grin and when Carbon moved to leave, Chrome caught a glint of a serrated, razor sharp knife edge before it disappeared into subspace.

Chrome smirked. Finally the glitch would relax now that he had his precious blades back.

xxXXxx

Carefully holding the bundle in both arms, Ratchet set it down on the counter just in time to catch the tail end of Chrome's silent conversation.

"You need the help Chrome and don't deny it." Carbon said. "Oh, Sterling. Here."

Ratchet watched as he walked over to Sterling and subspaced a serrated edged knife. It was the one he had stuck in the shaft wall that Ratchet had hung the IV on.

"Ha! Ah hoped it was still in one piece." Sterling said as he accepted the blade, hilt first. It integrated into his arm and a moment later it slid up into subspace as Carbon walked out the 'bay doors.

"How you doing Ratchet?" Chrome asked and Ratchet returned his attention to the mesh wrapped object.

"About to find out." Ratchet replied, earning a chuckle from Sterling.

"Well, unwrap it. I want to see how badly Carbon had to butcher it." Chrome ordered.

With slightly shaky servos, Ratchet started to peel back the mesh. Energon and other fluids seeped into the mesh the more he unwrapped and soon his digits had the blue liquid on them as well. Finally he pulled back the last, energon soaked wrap and stared at what was left of Sterling's arm.

"Can Ah keep it or not!" Sterling demanded, his angle preventing him from seeing the counters properly.

"What's your option Ratchet?" Chrome asked, shifting over to see. Ratchet sidestepped to allow him, optics darting over the mange limb.

"Serious lacerations to the main strut and hydraulics. Fuel lines, circuitry and the like might need to be replaced because of that fire." Ratchet said out loud, medical coding racing to catalog the damage.

"Bracer is crushed, probably damaged the subspace pocket underneath." He continued, finally reaching out a servo to touch the grey metal. Without fresh energon pumping though the lines, the armor plates had taken on the same flat grey shade of a terminated mech.

"But…?" Chrome prodded.

"The servo, wrist joint, and elbow joint are intact and those are the hardest to repair." Ratchet replied, glancing up at Chrome for approval.

"You're diagnostic?" he asked.

"I think it can be reattached." Ratchet hesitantly said, unaware if he was making the right decision. It had been almost two metacycles before he had even been allowed to make a proper diagnostic without a professor or qualified medic hovering over his shoulder guard.

"Good. Axil is pretty good with armor so he'll take care of Sterling's bracer when he finds time. Dusty's priority number one though." Chrome replied, giving Ratchet a nod of approval. "Clean it up, flush the lines and see what need to be repaired or replaced and what's still in working condition. The rest is just like if you were attacking a new factory limb."

"Where do you keep your supplies?" Ratchet asked.

"You know where the templating is. I keep rags in the workshop and in here, do _not_ get them mixed up." Chrome said. "I'm not telling you where anything is because I expect you to figure it out and know this place as good as I do. Everything you need though are in those cupboards."

"Oh, an' don't mess up 'is system." Sterling added. "Ee gets cranky when mechs mess it up."

Chrome didn't deny it and Ratchet gave him a quick glance. The medic was smirking, optics focused on Dusty. At the same time, he knew that the medic would be watching him like a cyber-hawk.

While Ratchet had prepped new factory limbs before, it was a little unnerving to do an arm that he knew had been attached to Sterling. He turned the taps of the sink on, letting the water get warm before carefully, and with an obvious hesitation, picked up the severed arm and started cleaning off the grime and fluids. He added some cleaner from the bottle beside the tap and worked his digits into the gaps of the thick armor, making sure that the metal was clean and wouldn't cause a possible infection.

The feeling of stiff, energon deprived protoform would have disgusted most mechs but Ratchet was more aware of the fact that it had been alive not even 24 joors ago. What fluid was left leaked out of the torn lines as Ratchet worked the cleaner deeper into the circuitry to get the fine dust and residue out.

"Well?" Chrome asked, fifteen klick later.

"Almost done. The hydraulics are being a pain to clean out." Ratchet replied. "They're pretty gummed up."

"Do what you can and if you're still having problems, I have a heavy duty degreaser in the workshop." Chrome said. "It's not medical grade but it will get it clean and I've had no problems with it yet."

"I think I finally got it." Ratchet said, flushing the fluid lines one more time before reaching for a clean, dry rag.

"What it look like?" Chrome asked, pausing to once again glance up.

"Most of the damage is on his bracer." Ratchet said, carefully dabbing the rag against the exposed circuitry. "The circuitry's crushed but I don't think it will be that hard to rewire. The hydraulics and strut are pretty jagged-"

"That's good." Chrome interrupted.

Ratchet gave him a confused look, not quiet brave enough to outright contradict him.

"Right. You leant that a clean break is easier then a jagged hack job." Chrome asked.

"That's one way of putting it."

"If there's one thing I've learnt from experience, it's that a jagged break, while it's more annoying to have to prep, it heals a lot faster and it's stronger." Chrome explained. "Not to mention it saves a pit of a lot of time and material just welding the ends back together instead of having clean ends, then having to add a piece to bridge the gap."

Ratchet thought about it for a moment, then shrugged.

"Sounds legitimate." He said finally, finishing up on Sterling's arm.

"Course it does." Chrome snapped. "I've been doing this longer then you've functioned. Now if you're done that, prep Sterling."

Ratchet hesitated for a moment before nodding and moving to Sterling, setting the now clean limb beside Sterling on the table. The silver mech had already removed his thick shoulder guard before moving to the steel table at some point and laying down on his back to be at a better height for the much shorter mech. He was also taking the moment to catch some recharge. Ratchet gently placed a servo on his shoulder guard and he jerked online.

"Aw frag, Ah wanted tah say off' fo' this." Sterling grumbled, flared armor settling.

"Sorry. Didn't want to surprise you when I started working." Ratchet said, hiding a smirk.

"Yeah yeah yeah. Good thing too."

Sterling shifted once before settling, shuttering his optics again.

"Well, get on with it. Ah'm bored o' laying 'ere." He said bluntly and Ratchet couldn't help but chuckle.

"He hates being idle. Part of the reason I want him out so bad. Battleship at least keeps his mouth shut." Chrome said, shooting a looked at the unconscious miner. Ratchet nodded in understanding before set to work.

His shoulder guard already removed and his pain receptors still offline, it was quick work to clean up the edges of the hacked off struts and hydraulics as well as re-strip wires. He was about to turn back to Chrome when he spoke up.

"Keep going. There's no reason why I should intervene now." Chrome said and Ratchet couldn't help the small whine that escaped his engine. Chrome glanced up again, studying Ratchet for a moment before sighing, extracting his servos from Dusty's chassis.

"Alright, I'm coming to hover. But you're still doing the work." He said, walking over to the sink to wash his servos and bracers.

"What's the first step?" He ordered curtly.

"Reattach fluid lines to enable the protoform to soften up and become more malleable and easier to work with." Ratchet responded, metacycles of studying medical datapads coming back to him. "It's also the cheaters way to see if there are any broken lines."

"Correct." Chrome replied, moving to Ratchet's side. "Start with that."

Ratchet hesitated for a moment before Chrome snorted.

"I already gave you slag. Either you know what you're doing or you don't."

"Yessir." He replied nervously. He shifted the limb over to Sterling's severed arm and set to work, reattaching fluid lines. It was a simple job of clamping the line, cutting off the sealed end, and then with a small soldering iron, heating the ends before letting the half melted tubing fuse together. As soon as it was fused he removed the clamp, letting energon flow back into stiff protoform.

"Make sure you get them all. We're not standard frames." Chrome warned when Ratchet found an energon line he wasn't familiar with. He nodded even as he found the other end and fused the tubing together. The minor lines repaired, he moved onto the three primary ones that ran parallel to the main support strut. One for feeding energon down his arm, the other two hydraulic and coolant lines for his subspace ad other systems.

"Good. Now open up the IV so that you can compensate for the fluid loss he's have when you remove the clamps in his shoulder." Chrome directed. Ratchet again nodded, reaching for the IV bag and turning the dial.

He knew primary lines didn't seal off like secondary ones and Chrome, or Carbon, had crimped the lines off with tiny clamps, specifically for primary lines. As he removed them, Sterling winced, a grimace crossing his faceplates as a quick scan reviled that his fluid levels had dropped a bit. The IV was quickly making up for it and he carefully watched the partly reattached arm in case there were any leaks.

"Any leaks?" Chrome asked, and Ratchet turned to realize he was back by Dusty.

"Uh. No. Not yet." He stammered, any and all confidence draining into the floor.

"Then there won't be. If a line will burst, it will be when you restore the fluid lines." Chrome said, glancing up at him. "The struts and hydraulics are next. And for Primus sake, remember to release pressure in the cylinders first."

At the reminder, Ratchet flinched, optics darting up to Chrome before back down to Sterling.

"Everyone makes mistakes and has to learn from them." Chrome said quietly. "You just have to learn faster than the average mech."

"Yessir." Ratchet replied before burying himself in the job.

With Sterling flat on his back, it made realigning his arm much easier so that one wasn't shorter than the other. There was a slight gap between the strut ends but it was easily with in tolerance. Using a type of clamp designed to keep struts straight while they were welded, he set small, hot tack welds before double checking his work. Careful that the new fluid lines stayed out of the way, he welded the strut together before waiting a few moments to let the hot metal cool down. The hydraulic shafts were the same procedure but the third hydraulic had a bit of a bigger gap. He was able to fill it though, using a small sander to smooth down the weld marks and keep wires and lines from catching on any rough parts.

Wiring was always a little trickier in the fact that there was always the possibility that if the mech was confused or combative, they would try and move the limb before it was finished, damaging either themselves or the medic. It was s reason hydraulic fluid was never added until the mech was coherent.

"I'm reattaching the wiring." He said out loud and Sterling hummed quietly, vents still deep and steady in a doze. There was almost double the amount of wiring he was used to and Chrome had to come help him sort it out.

"Move your digits Sterling." Chrome ordered and the miner shifted. A nano-klick later Ratchet saw movement in his servo before he clenched his digits into a fist.

"Good, release."

His servo relaxed, then spread out till his servo was spread out flat on the table.

"Any pain, twinges?" Ratchet asked when Chrome stepped back.

"Nope. Feels great. Best job ev'a." Sterling replied.

Chrome reached over, smacking the miner in the side of the helm and his optics snapped online.

"It's true!" Sterling squawked.

"Doesn't mean ya have to say it!" Chrome snapped, stalking back over to Dusty and muttering under his breath.

"Hurry up and finish up with the fragger. I want him out!" Chrome yelled and Ratchet lurched back toward the mech, wrapping the exposed wire ends in a thin rubber coating to prevent them from shorting out. Eventually the wires would heal together and the rubber coating would assimilate back into his frame. He double checked the cylinders before adding the hydraulic fluid. He made Sterling flex his arm a few times to make sure the right amount had been added before he double checked everything again.

"Chrome? I'm going to close him up." Ratchet said, waiting for the medic to come back over.

"Good. Hurry up and get him out." He barked and Sterling huffed in silent laughter.

"Yessir." Ratchet said, trying to hide his own amusement at the medic's antics.

Thankfully, now that his protoform had softened up, it was able to be stretched a little enabling him to tack the soft metal together. A quick weld around the circumference of his arm and he was good to go.

"All done." Ratchet said as his optics readjusted to the normal lighting and not the white glow of the welding torch.

"Good." Sterling said as he sat up, slowly moving his newly attached arm into his lap.

"What about his armor?" Ratchet asked, turning to Chrome.

"Axil will fix it. Until then you're off for two cycles." Chrome said before the miner could get to his peds.

"Bu' Chrome-"

"No buts!" The medic snapped, spinning around and jabbing a digit at Sterling. "Off for two cycles! You know the drill, I don't want to see you back in here for the next groon!"

"Ya boss." Sterling grumbled, standing up finally and twisting his helm to see the weld on his arm. "Looks good. Ya sure it will be two-"

"Get out!" Chrome yelled and the silver miner shot him a look before scowling and walking away. "Miserable fragger."

"Fragg'a yaself." Sterling muttered under his breath. Chrome abruptly spun around, hurling a large silver wrench at the miner. He ducked at the last nano-klick and Ratchet stared at him in open mouth shock.

"Out!" He yelled as the mech shot him a look and left. "Only way to get through to them." Chrome growled, stalking over to the door to retrieve the wrench. Ratchet shook his helm, somehow not surprised at the medic as he turned back to the table to clean up his tools and wipe down the table and supplies.

"Go home after you clean up." Chrome spoke up. "I have stuff I need to do tonight."

"You don't need help?" Ratchet asked.

"No. Not for what I'm doing." Chrome said, pausing in his work. "You can come tomorrow."

"I'll be here." Ratchet said with a nod.

ooOOoo

He was surprised to say the least when he walked into the apartment to see Focus sitting at a chair, trying to rub a wet cloth down the back of his arm.

"What are you doing?" Ratchet asked, letting the door slide shut behind him. Focus jumped before straitening to give the yellow mech a look.

"Where have you been?" he demanded, ignoring the question.

"Working. You know, that's what you do when you have that funny thing called a job?" Ratchet replied, getting a whiff of the strong polish on the rag as Focus started to polish the back of his arm again. "Since when do you care about your paint?" he asked, walking over to flick Focus on the back of the helm.

"Watch the paint!" he yelped, ducking his friend's servo. "Nova and Quicklight want to meet us at the Market and I want to look good."

"In other words you're trying to impress Nova again." Ratchet corrected. He received a dark look from the pale green mech.

"None of your business." Focus grumbled.

"Focus, you trying to win Nova over is just as obvious as her put downs. Take the hint, and leave her alone." Ratchet said, shaking his helm when Focus made a show of ignoring him.

"Eh, she'll start to like me. I know she will." Focus replied with a huff, polishing the rest of his arm. "Go get cleaned up, I'm leaving in half a joor."

"Yes boss." Ratchet huffed, flicking Focus again before disappearing into his own room to fix up his paint.

ooOOoo

"Oh is she mad." Focus muttered, shifting to peer over Ratchet's shoulder guard. The yellow mech turned to see the two silver frames of Nova and Quicklight glide though the other brightly colored mechs and femmes already at the Market. Even from here he could see the frown on Nova's faceplates as she stormed over to them.

"You aft!" She barked, getting up in Ratchet's EM field. "I can't believe you!"

"What are you-?" Ratchet asked only to be cut off as she slapped him.

"Mech, you really fragged her off." Focus said even as Quicklight stared at his sister in obvious shock. His wide optic expression mirrored Ratchet's perfectly.

"What did I do?!" Ratchet demanded, lifting a servo to finger the small dent in his cheek plate. It would pop out in a few joors.

"You actually went out to the miners?!" She hissed, dropping her tone. "Are you out of your fraggin processor?! Those mechs will terminate you just for fun!"

"You told her?" Ratchet demanded, spinning on Focus. He jumped back a step, servos up in surrender.

"Hey, she commed last orn to say that her and Quicklight had a mentor." Focus defended. "I just told her where you were."

"You two have a mentor?" Ratchet asked, turning back to the silver femme.

"Yeah. He's designations- Don't distract me!" Nova snapped. "Yes Focus told me you went out to the mines!"

"Nova, Focus already gave me the lecture and considering I've been there for two orns and nothing serious has happened-"

"Nothing _serious_? So something has happened." She demanded.

"Nothing serious. Everything is fine, and, not only that, Chrome's agreed to mentor me." Ratchet said, just a tad smug as Nova's dumbfounded expression.

"That mech agreed to mentor you." Quicklight deadpanned.

"Yes. And what's more, I already have my first patient." He said, visibly smug now.

"You've been there for two orns and he's letting you work on mechs already." Focus clarified.

"You didn't know?" Nova demanded, turning to the pale green mech.

"I swear I didn't. I just thought he was glitched." He defended.

"I am not glitched." Ratchet protested. All three of his best friends turned to give him a flat look. "Kay, maybe a little glitched. But I like the work. Chrome is nothing like the Professors at the Academy and I like it."

"Oh Primus, he's going to get himself off'ed one orn, I know it." Focus mumbled. "Well, before you do, can we at least go have some fun first?"

"Preferably before my sister terminates my best friend?" Quicklight added, earning a burning glare from the femme.

"We'll catch up." Ratchet said, knowing that Nova wasn't done with him yet.

"Works for me. Let's go." Focus said, shoving Quicklight to spin him around and all but dragging the mech as he walked off.

"Ratchet, are you in danger?" Nova asked bluntly as soon as they were out of audio range. Ratchet's golden optics snapped down to her green ones.

"What?"

"Are you in danger? We've all heard stuff about them and I want to know, are you in danger." Nova repeated.

Ratchet thought about it. About what Chrome had said.

"No." He said truthfully. "Yes the others may try and drive me into the ground, but Chrome will watch out for me."

Nova studied him for a few nano-klicks before ex-venting sharply.

"Fine." She said quietly. "I know I can't change your processor but… For my own sanity, Ratchet please be careful."

"I will." Ratchet promised. "I know how to watch myself, and Chrome keeps a grip on the other miners. I'm not in danger."

ooOOoo

Nova gently touched Ratchet's bracer to get his attention as they browsed through the aisles, both looking at the merchandise and taking their time in finding Focus and Quicklight.

"There." She said, tilting her helm toward a big, two tone blue mech deep in conversation with a petite femme.

"The mech is Driveshaft." Nova explained as she angled in their direction. "He's mentoring me and Quicklight. Cloudbreak is the femme. She's the receptionist. Really nice, I like her. I think Quicklight has a crush on her. Driveshaft is pretty cool to for mentor. He's an amazing teacher."

They were close enough now that the femme saw Nova.

"Nova!" She called out, waving to get the silver femme's attention. Nova walked over with a smile.

"Cloudbreak, it's been a long time." She said sarcastically. "Only been, what, three joors? Driveshaft sir, it's good to see you so soon again."

"It is." The two tone mech said in a warm voice. "Just here with a friend?" He asked, optics darting over to Ratchet.

"No, my brother and our other friend are around here somewhere as well. Probably getting into trouble."

"Quicklight? Oh, I just might have to go find him." Cloudbreak said with a mischievous smirk before she bade farewell and left.

"You must be Ratchet, correct?" Driveshaft asked, light blue optics on Ratchet's gold ones.

"Yessir." Ratchet replied, a little off that the complete stranger would know his designation.

"Nova has told me a lot about you. You seem to have a good reputation." Driveshaft continued.

"Reputation?" Ratchet asked in confusion, giving Nova a look. "I was unaware that I had a reputation. At least a good one."

"Yes. You had quiet the skill level in the Academy. You're grades would make a lot of the fully qualified medics I know look like rookie armatures."

"I just liked to study."

"Ratchet, I liked to study." Nova said with a smirk. "Focus liked to study. You were obsessed with it."

"It's a pity all my apprentice positions are taken. I would have enjoyed teaching such a bright processor as yours. You have potential." Driveshaft said with a smile.

"Thank you sir for the offer but I already have a mentor." Ratchet replied, keeping his tone neutral.

"A mentor? Oh? When was this?" Driveshaft asked, curiously.

"This morning we legalized it."

"Well then, who is this medic that I may congratulate him? I now a lot of medics but not many of them are taking apprentices. That's the reason I took on both Nova and her brother. I try to avoid teaching siblings for… competitive reasons."

"He isn't a very well know medic. Runs a small place." Ratchet said, watching the medic very closely. "His designations Chrome."

Driveshaft's friendly attitude dissolved, his optics darkening and a frown crossing his faceplates.

"Oh." He stated finally. "I see. Well, it's been a pleasant talk but I must get going. I will see you next orn Nova."

Then without a backwards glance Driveshaft spun on his heel and walked away.

"Well that was odd." Nova said quietly, watching the retreating figure of her mentor. "I don't know why he suddenly got so defensive like that. I thought he liked you."

Ratchet allowed his flared armor to settle. He did not like the mech's reaction at all.

"He doesn't like Chrome." Ratchet said finally. "Something happened between them. I'll put credits on it that something happened."

"Why would they have anything to do with each other? Driveshaft's 'bay is in the middle of Iacon."

"True. They would have never-"

"Het Ratch! Nova!" A familiar voice yelled and the mech and femme turned to see Focus and Quicklight moving toward them.

"About time we found you. Having fun yet?" Focus asked as he squeezed between Ratchet and Nova, throwing his arms around their shoulder guards.

"Great." Ratchet replied. "Then you showed up."

Focus stared at him in mock horror.

"You wound me!" He cried dramatically as he fell back and made of show of standing beside Quicklight and completely ignoring Ratchet.

"Yeah right. You'd be lost if you didn't have me!" Ratchet countered, reaching over and shoving Focus hard enough to make him stagger.

"Alright mechs!" Nova interrupted with a laugh. "Behave already. We're here to have fun."

"What do you call this?" Quicklight asked, earning a laugh from Ratchet and Focus.

"For Primus sake." Nova huffed, crossing her arms. Quicklight grabbed her from behind, earning a loud squawk from the femme as he hugged her.

"Love you too." He said with a laugh as he released her.

"Yeah yeah yeah. Love you to." She grumbled. Focus was suddenly beside her, arm around her waist.

"What, don't you love me too?" He asked with a sad look.

"About as much as a rust spot." She easily replied as Ratchet and Quicklight howled with laughter.

"I told you mech, I told you." Ratchet wheezed, clapping his friend on the back. "I told you it was pointless."

"Oh well. A mech can be hopeful." He said, cheering up instantly as they followed after Nova and Quicklight though the Market.

* * *

**Again, sorry about the wait. **

**R and R people!**


	5. Prime

**Hello people! Yes I know im trying to update on Sundays but I haven't been at work for the last month and a half (temporary layoff) so my sense of "weekend" has gone out the window. Plus I already promised people on Forgotten Sun that I would update today. **

**So! On with the show. **

**This is the chapter that kinda held up production. I'm actually kinda proud of it now that I finally got it done. Last part is my favorite. **

**Guest: Glad you like it so far.**

**Neon: Everyone effects the plot somehow, just some effect it less then others. **

**Answerthecall: Yeah, but that days a long time in the coming. ;)**

**Child of Jon snow: Oh, yes there is more drama to come. Lots of fun lets just put it that way.**

* * *

When he walked into the medbay the next orn, Ratchet was shocked to see Dusty laying in a berth, torso and leg rebuilt as well as his helm. A quick scan of the medbay and he realised that Battleship was gone. Chrome had obviously been busy. There was a new signature though, a pale blue femme was sitting beside Dusty, her back to Ratchet. She had slightly rougher armor then what he was used to seeing on femmes, but it was still far sleeker and her paint of higher quality than the miners.

She detected him at the same time he did her and her helm snapped up, bright blue optics catching his gold ones and he froze. Blue optics among the working class were rare. Extremely rare.

"Ratchet?" Chrome called and Ratchet tore his gaze away from the femme.

"Yeah, I'm here." He responded, walking into the back room where Chrome's ID signature, and voice, had come from. Chrome was standing at a work bench at the far end of the workshop, bent over something on the table. Weaving though scrap piles and the like, he made his way to his mentor's side.

"Who's the femme?" Ratchet asked quietly, glancing back out of the workshop to see the pale blue femme.

"Designation's Azure. She's Dusty's mate." Chrome said, straitening from the table with a groan, joints in his back popping loud enough that Ratchet winced in sympathy.

"But… She has blue optics." Ratchet said hesitantly.

"Yeah? And?" Chrome challenged, armor flared slightly in warning but he kept his optics on his work.

"Well… I didn't think that… happened…" Ratchet trailed off, nervous that he had over stepped his boundaries.

"Yes, Azure is a middle class femme." Chrome said finally. "But spark bonds don't care about class. She risked her job because she loved Dusty and he loved her. She still works as a sectary, but only because she's a hard worker and her boss didn't want to have to try and find someone else."

Chrome stretched again before with a loud sigh, reached for a half empty energon cube resting on the table.

"When was the last you recharged?" Ratchet asked cautiously, sending a light scan over the medic. He snorted, setting the empty cube down.

"Haven't since the explosion."

"Chrome! That's three orns!" Ratchet objected.

"Yep. And I have work to do. I can keep going." Chrome said, reaching for the work bench. Ratchet shifted to see what he was doing and was shocked.

A nearly completely rebuilt arm was laying on the workbench, wires and tubing sticking out from where it would attach to the shoulder joint on Dusty's chassis. The only thing it was missing was the thick armor.

"I have way too much slag to get done this morning." Chrome repeated as he started closing up panels on the new arm. He carefully picked it up, walking into the medbay and the femme turned back to them with a shy smile.

"Chrome, I didn't expect you to be finished already." She said, her voice smooth and light, a complete contrast to everyone else Ratchet had dealt with here.

"Well, the sooner I finish, the sooner I can stop fighting his systems." Chrome replied easily, gaze shifting slightly to give Dusty a pointed look that the stasis locked mech was oblivious too. "You'll want to go into my office for this."

Azure nodded before sliding off the berth, landing on delicate heeled peds and Ratchet stepped back, letting her past even as he subconscious dropped his optics.

"What did you mean fighting his systems?" Ratchet asked, finding his voice after he heard the office door slid shut.

"He hates being in stasis lock." Chrome said gravely, hinting at something far more than just a fear of being in stasis. Ratchet had dealt with mechs like that before but something told him Chrome wasn't telling him everything.

"How come?" He pressed.

"Nothing ever good happens when he's in stasis." Chrome said, his tone clear that Ratchet should drop the subject. The apprentice nodded in acknowledgment and Chrome's flared armor settled as he reached to move a bundle of wires out of the way of Dusty's exposed shoulder socket.

"Get his other side. This is always easier with two mechs." Chrome ordered and Ratchet quickly moved around the berth. Chrome had already placed the new arm halfway in its socket and as soon as Ratchet had placed his servos on Dusty's good shoulder, he easily snapped it into place with a loud pop.

"Fraggit Chrome! Give some warning before you do that!"

Ratchet jumped in surprise, seeing a dark grey miner cringing in the doorway of the medbay.

"It's a medbay Axil. Repairs get made and shoulders get popped back into place." Chrome said, not even glancing at the mech. "Get used to it. You got my stuff?"

"Yes, it's all here, Ironlock's got that huge crate of yours."

Chrome grinned, grabbing a mostly clean rag and scrubbing his servos with it as he walked toward the overheard doors.

"Tell him to come around the back." He told Axil before slapping the controls to lift the big door.

A moment later, a bulky grey truck drove up, a long crate sticking out his tailgate.

"I don't know what the frag is in here but it's heavy." He complained as Chrome walked over.

"That happens to be your pay till Sterling can make a run. And for the love of Primus and my sanity don't drop it!" Chrome yelled as the big mech abruptly transformed, skillfully maneuvering the heavy crate into his servos. Chrome was gripping his helm, muttering curses under his breath as Ironlock walked into the medbay, setting the crate down on the big table that they had used for Sterling.

"What is it?" He asked again as Chrome scrambled over to check the crate for damage. The crate was easily fourteen feet long, with heavy duty hinges and a large keypad built into the side. Ratchet had an idea what it was but he didn't voice it out loud.

"Really really important." Chrome replied, not even glancing at the miner. Ironlock scowled even as Axil snorted in amusement.

"Come on mech, let's get back to work." He said as he reached out for Ironlock.

"You!" Chrome snapped, arm shooting g out behind him to jab a digit at a frozen Axil. "Get to work on Dusty! Copper's coming next orn and I need him out of here ASAP."

"You got the armor?!" Axil asked in obvious shock.

"Yes." Chrome said as he finally stood up from examining the crate. He and Axil had a quiet staring contest and it was obvious they were talking over the comms. Finally Axil gave an exaggerated shrug.

"Ok. Whatever you say boss." He said simply before he stalked though the medbay, pausing at the office door to speak to Azure. After a moment he walked outside, rubbing his servos.

"You think he'll be up and running that soon?" Ironlock asked when Axil had left.

"He'd better." Chrome said, again shooting the mech a dark look. "His systems can't take much more Assemic."

"We could use him. Axil got the ventilator up so we're back in." Ironlock said quietly.

"Well that's a start at least." Chrome muttered. Ironlock nodded before turning and walking out.

Chrome sighed, visibly sagging before running a rough servo down his faceplates.

"Well, back to work." He muttered before spinning in place and walking back into the workshop. "Finish up on Dusty's shoulder would ya? He should be coming back online pretty soon and I'd prefer to have as much done before that happens."

"How much Assemic have you given him?" Ratchet asked. He knew that Chrome had been pumping the mech full of the sedative but he didn't know how much.

"Too much. I told you. Dusty hates being offline." Chrome said simply before he disappeared. Ratchet watched him leave before turning back to Dusty. Unlike with Sterling, reattaching a limb at the joint was far easier as it was just a matter of plugging the wires and fluid lines back into their sockets. It was just as he was reattaching the last bundle of wires that the mech shifted, air hissing from his vents.

"Chrome, he's coming online." Ratchet called, helm snapping up to find the medic.

"Aw fraggit. I was going to help him." Chrome growled, darting over as Ratchet moved out of his way. Ratchet watched in fascination as Chrome shifted Dusty helm to the side, gently turning it and slid his servo under the back of his neck.

"His dataport?" Ratchet asked.

"Yep." Chrome replied, a panel on his bracer sliding open. With his free servo he pulled a long silver grey cord free before sliding it back under Dusty's helm. There was a quiet, almost inaudible click and Chrome smirked.

"How is he?" Azure asked and Ratchet glanced up at her. He had forgotten she was there.

"He's fine." Chrome replied, glancing at the femme. "Just helping systems start up." He turned his attention inward again and Ratchet heard systems slowly start up. A few klicks later and Chrome pulled his datacord free, coiling it carefully before his bracer closed up again. Another klick later and Dusty shuddered, optics flickering before dark red optics came online.

"Welcome back online ya glitch." Chrome said, gripping Dusty's shoulder guard. The mech smirked before wincing in pain.

"Not so sure about that." He rasped, his voice shockingly rough.

"Yeah, you'll be sore. That's what happens when you blow up." Chrome answered, glancing at Azure.

"Now that's a sight I missed." Dusty said quietly even as Chrome moved aside and the femme walked over. She leaned over him to give him a kiss and Dusty smiled.

"That was too close mech." She said, sitting back down beside him. "That was too close."

"I know sweetspark." He said quietly, shifting his arm to rest it on her leg. She took his servo, holding it gently.

"I hate to break up the moment," Chrome interrupted, "But what do you say we get you home mech?"

"How's Sterling and Battle?" Dusty asked.

"I already kicked them both out. Sterling's a little fragged off but he's with Carmine so I think he'll survive the next two cycles." Chrome said with a shrug.

"What happened to Piper?" Dusty finally asked and Ratchet winced.

"Carbon took care of him." Chrome said soberly. "He's been taken care of."

"Good." Dusty said with a sigh, shuttering his optics for a klick.

"Let's get you out of here." Chrome said quietly and Azure stood up, moving out of the way as Chrome stood beside Dusty. The mech winced as he shifted his arms, but he managed to carefully sit up, Chrome watching him the whole time.

"You alright?" Chrome asked as he swung his legs off the edge of the berth.

"Yeah. Ow. Yeah." Dusty rasped, lifting his servo to examine his armor less arm. "This isn't you're work."

"Oh for Primus sake," Chrome huffed, glaring at Ratchet behind Dusty's back. "Yes, it was someone else. I went and got an apprentice."

"You did what?" Dusty stammered, glancing up at Chrome.

"He saved your life." Chrome added, shooting a servo out to steady the miner when he finally stood up. Dusty swayed for a nano-klick before he steadied and turned to face Ratchet. Dark red optics locked onto his gold ones and Ratchet all but felt the hostile look scorching his paint.

"You said he was in the mine?" Dusty asked Chrome.

"Carbon and Sterling were there."

"Then I guess I at least owe you a chance." Dusty said, engine rumbling lowly.

"Thank you sir." Ratchet said quietly, dropping his optics.

"Carbon will be here in a bit to give you a lift home. I don't want you stressing your frame yet. I had to rebuild a lot of it."

"I need to check out the mine-" Dusty started to say, turning back to Chrome.

"Do _not_ give me that slag Dusty," Chrome snapped, "I already had to deal with Sterling. In case you forgot, _I'm _the medic!"

Dusty opened his mouth to object but Azure reached over, gently touching his shoulder joint.

"Let's just go home. Pixel's been worried sick about you." She said quietly and Dusty sighed, glancing at her with a small smile.

"Alright alright. I guess if the place hasn't collapsed yet, it won't for a while." He muttered.

"Carbon's handling the mess and you can comm him. But you're off work until I say otherwise. I'll deal with Copper this time." Chrome said as Azure guided him toward the door. Ratchet watched in concern as he stumbled slightly but he stayed upright, his arm around his mate's shoulder guards.

"Chrome…" Dusty all but growled, stopping to glare at the medic.

"I won't mess things up. I know we're walking a thin line." Chrome grumbled, crossing his arms over his chassis with a huff. "Primus Dusty, I hate the mech but I'm not glitched. I can't afford to frag him off."

At that moment the steady rumble of Carbon's massive engine sounded outside and Ratchet turned to see the black dump truck pull up.

"Go home, let me worry about the gang for the time being." Chrome said, nodding his helm to Carbon as the mech flashed his high beams. Dusty finally nodded and turned back toward the door, Chrome following them out. Ratchet watched darkly as Chrome helped the miner into Carbon's box before helping Azure in. Carbon drove off then and Chrome walked back into the medbay.

"Why did you need to get Dusty out of here so fast? He… he just onlined after being in stasis for three orns." Ratchet asked before the door was even closed. "He's still weak and systems still have potential to fail."

"I did all I could do for him, now he just has to recover. Remember, we're far more durable than most mechs."

"But why couldn't you keep him here for another orn at least." He asked, coiling one of the lines on the spark monitor they had used.

"Because of who I have coming today. The less mechs around, the better." Chrome replied from where he had moved to the sink.

"But… Who's coming? And Axil's in the back."

"As long as he stays behind the shop everything will be fine. It's…" Chrome sighed, turning to face Ratchet. "I have… other ways of making credits. Copper, our formech, hates it that I spend most of my time here and not underground. That being said, what I get paid isn't nearly enough to keep this place functional."

"But you have to have a working medbay. Battleship, Dusty and Sterling would have probably offlined otherwise." Ratchet objected.

"Copper doesn't care about things like that. He doesn't care if the medbay gets shut down so I have to find other ways to get the credits."

"Why do I have the feeling it's not quite legal?" Ratchet asked hesitantly, watching his mentor. Chrome chuckled.

"It's legal. Just…" He hesitated. "Frowned upon."

"What do you mean?"

"There's an Elite. His creation comes for frame upgrades. For a few metacycles I had a second place _in_ Iacon. I earned a few extra credits on mechs that didn't want to pay full price elsewhere. His creation had taken off and found his way to my place." Chrome explained. "He's afraid of medics, borderline terrified even, but he wasn't afraid around me. Caught his sire off guard for sure."

"You had a place in Iacon? What happened to it?"

Chrome gave him another amused look as he turned back to the sink.

"Questions, questions, questions." He said, glancing over his shoulder guard to give Ratchet a smirk. "It's a good thing in an apprentice. Copper found out about it and threatened to cut all our wages back if I didn't shut the place down. What he didn't realise was that I even if he did cut our pay, I was making almost the same amount to cover the gang and keep both places scraping by. Royals love their credits and you'd be surprised how many were willing to let me work on them. Copper was furious and let word get out that a working class mech was running around in Iacon, scamming mechs. Enforcers started crawling all over the place and I had no choice but to shut it down."

"Then how do you keep this place open?" Ratchet asked again as he finished coiling the lines and subspaced a cloth to wipe the berth down.

"The Elite. He came to my place in Iacon when his creation needed upgrades. He's come here the last two times. He's not thrilled about it and he refuses to come if anyone is in here, but I need the credits and his creation won't let anyone else touch him."

"So who is this mysterious benefactor?" Ratchet asked, glancing up at Chrome.

"Someone I can _not_ afford to frag off." Chrome said seriously, his warning clear in his voice.

"Yessir." Ratchet replied, finishing up and flicking the cloth at the large crate, now that he was sure he knew what it was. "So that's the frame?"

"Yep." Chrome answered, drying his servos and walking over to it. He typed in a string of numbers in the lock and the crate hissed quietly as the top popped open.

"It's sealed?" Ratchet asked in surprise. He knew for a fact that only the most expensive frames were sealed inside crates to ensure they arrived in perfect condition.

"Yep." Chrome replied, lifting the lid up, then releasing the hinges to allow him to take it off. "Come and see. This will be your first paycheck."

Ratchet walked over, resting a servo on the edge of the crate as gold optics traveled the grey tinged frame. He knew that as soon as energon started flowing through the brand new lines, the paint nanites would start to function and reveal their full color instead of the faded color right now.

"Blue and red?" Ratchet asked, still examining the frame.

"Yes. His sire's red, his creator was light blue apparently." Chrome replied, running a deep system scan over the twelve foot frame. It was a mechling's frame, with thin tight armor. It was mostly blue though his bracers, and lower legs would be red while his peds were the same blue as his frame. His faceplates and servos were light grey but considering it was an Elite's frame, it would more than likely turn silver when the nanites onlined.

"Wow." Ratchet summed up finally. He had been in enough frame shops to know when a very expensive frame was before him. "What upgrade is this?"

"Sixth? Yeah. I've done the last three. One in Iacon, one here. This will be the second time he's come here."

"You still haven't told me who he is." Ratchet said, giving Chrome a slightly suspicious look. The medic smirked.

"I don't need to. You'll know who he is before he even shows up." Chrome replied before moving off.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ratchet demanded, spinning to watch Chrome.

"Exactly that. Now move." Chrome replied, grabbing one of the berths and shoving it toward the crate. Ratchet moved before he was pinned, still glaring at Chrome. He was staring to have a bad feeling about this.

"You've set up a frame before haven't you?" Chrome asked, completely ignoring Ratchet's look.

"Yes."

"Good. Help me with this. He'll be here soon." Chrome said, moving back to the helm of the frame. Ratchet sighed, settling his slightly flared armor as he forced himself to relax.

"On three." Chrome ordered, sliding his servos under the frame's shoulder guards. Ratchet slid his own arms under the frame's legs and on Chrome's count, they shifted it to the berth.

"You're not going to tell me who's coming till he walks in the door are you?" Ratchet asked, accepting an IV bag that Chrome handed him.

"Nope." Chrome replied, inserting the IV line into a major energon line in the frame's neck cables.

"Not even a clue?" Ratchet asked as he inserted his own needle into the frame's hip joint.

"Nope."

Again, Ratchet released a sharp ev-vent but he couldn't calm down. He knew that depending on the Elite, there was a chance that he might be recognised for who his sire was.

"Would you relax already? You're more skittish now than when you went after Dusty." Chrome said, earning a wince from Ratchet.

"Yeah, that was adrenaline. This is my sire might find out I'm here." Ratchet muttered.

"Oh?" Chrome asked as his EM field flared in curiosity.

"My sire doesn't know I'm out here and I'd like to keep it that way." Ratchet said slowly. "He can make your lives a pit of a lot harder."

"And just who might he be?"

Ratchet glanced up to see Chrome watching him with cold green optics and he dropped his gaze from the hostile look. "I'd rather not say." He said quietly, hoping to Primus that Chrome wouldn't force him to talk about his past.

"Suit yourself." Chrome said after a moment and Ratchet visibly relaxed.

"Thank you." He said quietly and Chrome nodded.

They quickly finished prepping the frame by filling fluid lines and hooking it up to life support. Ratchet had guessed accurately in that as the energon started to cycle thought the frame, the nanites started to online and the rich blue and red started to regain their shine. It was also then that Chrome stiffened.

"He's here." He said just as there was a low rumble off in the distance. It sounded all the world to Ratchet like the cave in and he tensed, forcibly reminding himself that it wasn't even as Piper flashed across his processor.

A few klicks later and the roar was almost deafening as a large, sleek looking shuttle landed just outside the medbay.

Ratchet recognised the shuttle instantly.

"Chrome, that's the Prime's private shuttle." He said, unable to hide the alarm that made his voice tremble.

"I know. Makes me nervous too." Chrome replied, watching as the door of the shuttle folded down.

"No, no you don't understand. Sentinel Prime can't know I'm here. He- he can't!" Ratchet stammered.

"Why not?" Chrome asked, confused.

"My sire _works_ with Sentinel!" He blurted before he even realised what he had said. Chrome's optics darkened even as his armor flared.

"Avalon." He growled. "You're sire's Avalon. Why the frag did I not figure that out beforehand."

Ratchet nodded dumbly, all too aware of who was in that shuttle and that he had just crossed a serious line.

"Fine. Go out the back." Chrome growled, jerking his helm toward the overhead door. "Sentinel and his goon squad like to hover so I doubt they'll go around back to where Axil is."

"I'm sorry. I should have told you but I was scared that you'd refuse me…" Ratchet whispered, guilt overwhelming him as he moved toward the door.

"If Avalon is your sire, then you obviously have nothing to do with him if you're here." Chrome said, slapping the controls in obvious anger. The door lifted a few feet and Ratchet ducked under the door. It closed before he could say anything to Chrome and he shivered, forcing flared armor to settle.

He walked around the back wall of the medbay, hearing the bang of metal on metal. It went quiet and when he walked around the corner, he was instantly blinded at the white hot fire that Axil was standing in front of and darkened his optics before he overloaded the sensitive systems.

The dark grey mech had a black visor over his optics, a massive clamp in his servo as he held a long thin slab of metal over the roaring fire. After a klick he stepped back and the fire died down as he turned to an anvil, smashing a hammer against the metal. Again and again he hit it till it was no longer red hot, then he turned back to the fire, setting it on a rack as he released the clamp. He stepped on a trigger of some kind and the fire roared back up, engulfing the metal.

"It's never a good idea to surprise someone working with red hot metal." He said as he flipped the visor up on top of his helm, watching Ratchet with bright red optics and a smirk.

"Sorry, didn't mean too." Ratchet apologized, keeping his distance so as not to bother the miner.

"Eh, not the worse. At least I didn't hit you with anything." The mech said, chuckling as he reached over to poke the slab a bit. "So what are you doing out here. Figured you'd be with Chrome when he upgrades Orion Pax."

"Sentinel knows who my sire is," Ratchet said, "and I'd prefer if my sire didn't know I was here."

"Ah. See, that's why it's so much easier being a miner. Don't have to worry about any of that political slag that you royals are always worrying about. All I care about is my gang and whether I get a paycheck every two cycles." Axil said, setting the clamp on the anvil and leaning against it. "Course, some of that political slag always affects us but the way I see it, we sure as frag ain't going to get a say in what happens to us so it's just easier to do your best and get on with it. Watch you're optics."

Ratchet darkened them again as Axil flipped his visor back down, picking up the metal and started pounding on it again. After another few klicks he set it back into the fire and flipped his visor back up.

"Chrome says you taught yourself." Ratchet said, watching the metal start to glow again.

"Yep. I was sick and tired of waiting for others to do a good job so I started messing around with armor myself." Axil said with a shrug. "Then my gang got wiped out in a collapse and Copper sent me here."

"You're entire gang got terminated?" Ratchet asked in horror.

"Dusty's crew is made up of leftovers. Mechs that have lost most of their gang. Usually left over gangs have the highest termination rate because you get a bunch of strangers working together underground and it's guaranteed that something is going to happen." Axil explained. "That being said, Dusty is probably the best mech I've ever worked under but like I said, this is only my second gang."

"Second. How many times have the others been bounced around?" Ratchet asked. Axil didn't answer as he went back to work on the metal, this time banging the shorter side over the cone shaped end of the anvil, curving the metal. He tossed it back into the fire and turned back to Ratchet.

"I'm the lucky one." He said.

"That's what I've heard."

"I don't have a sob story like the others. Yeah, my gang was terminated in a collapse and I was the only survivor. But I haven't been bounced around my entire life and that's the hardest thing. You learn to trust your gang with your life. You depend on them to watch your back and get you out if something happens because the royals sure as pit don't give a frag. Having to watch your gang terminate and get moved, watch them terminate and move, watch them terminate and move, that's what breaks mechs. That's what drives them over the edge."

Axil dropped his gaze to the fire.

"If half your gang is terminated, they break you up. Send you elsewhere." He said after a moment. "Sandstorm? He's had five gangs. This is the sixth time he's been transferred. He's only been here for… eight metacycles? Longest running so far other than his original gang. And that isn't even the worst."

"It's not?" Ratchet asked, "Who's been transferred the most?"

Again Axil hesitated before reaching for the metal again. This time Ratchet knew the blows were harder than before and that he was pushing a sensitive topic.

"Carbon." He said, shoving the curved piece of metal into the fire. "Carbon's been transferred the most. I don't know how many times but I can't believe that mech is still functioning on all cylinders. He's from Kaon. And they have the highest terminatation rate on Cybertron. Mechs think working in Iaocn, or Straxis, or even Tarn, that's nothing to what Carbon's been through."

He pulled the metal out again, this time using a much smaller hammer as he kept shaping the metal.

"But you didn't hear that from me." He said between hammer blows.

"Course not." Ratchet replied.

"Good."

He paused, holding the metal up.

"Figured out what it is yet?" Axil asked, before he dropped the still hot metal in a pail of liquid. It hissed loudly, a flame spewing up from the pail before it went out.

"It looks like bracer armor." Ratchet said. Axil nodded, smirking as he pulled the armor from the pail and tossed it in a bin of water. Again it hissed and Axil leaned against the anvil.

"Yep. It's Sterling's." Axil replied, plunging his servo into the water and pulling out the armor. He tossed it to Ratchet and he almost dropped it, not expecting it to be so cold.

"What do you think Medic? It acceptable?" Axil asked, crossing his arms and smirking. Ratchet looked the metal over. It would need a good polish and paint but what he remembered, the dimensions were correct.

"And you just did this now?" Ratchet asked in surprise.

"Well, I had Chrome's scans that I work off of." Axil said. "It helps when I have the original though."

"Do you?" Ratchet asked, glancing up at Axil.

"Yeah, what's left of it. It's pretty bad." Axil said hesitantly.

"It was crushed wasn't it?"

"Yeah. Sterling's luck-" Axil cut himself off abruptly, dropping the bracer armor on the anvil as he whipped around. Ratchet stiffened, his optics darting to the edge of the medbay as the ID signature of the Prime he had almost forgotten about suddenly got stronger.

He completely froze up when a tall, regal looking mech with thick, sleek red armor walked around the corner. Piercing blue optics shot to Axil first before sliding to Ratchet. A smirk crossed his silver faceplates even as Ratchet's vents stalled. Two mechs in thick bulky black armor were at his side, blue optics locked on Axil and cradling massive guns. Axil took another step back, his armor standing on end as those gun were aimed in his direction. As nervous as he was, Ratchet knew that Axil was probably going to blow a fuse at this rate.

"**Chrome, why the frag is the **_**Prime**_ **back here?!"** Axil all but yelled over the general comms.

"**He's what!? He said he was leaving. Aw frag."** Chrome growled.

"**He's after me."** Ratchet said. Axil spun to him in alarm, his wide optic gaze locked on Ratchet, then snapping to the Prime, then back to Ratchet.

"Sir?" One of the guards asked, his gaze darting to study Ratchet suspiciously.

"Is Orion back in the shuttle?" Sentinel asked, not taking his optics off of Ratchet.

"Yes, he's resting right now." The mech replied.

"Good. Go back to the shuttle. I'll only be a moment." The Prime ordered. The black mech's gaze shot to him in alarm.

"But, Sir!" He protested and Sentinel's gaze finally released Ratchet, gliding over to his guard.

"I said, go back to the shuttle." Sentinel repeated and the mech finally backed down.

"Yessir." He said, optics darting over to give Axil a savage glare before both mechs turned and walked away.

"Don't you also have somewhere to be?" Sentinel asked, giving Axil a pointed look. Axil took another nervous step back but shook his helm.

"With all due respect Sir, I'd rather stay if you have something to say to Ratchet." Axil said, managing to keep his voice steady even if Ratchet could tell he was beyond ready to glitch.

"I wasn't asking." Sentinel all but growled.

"Axil, could you leave?" Ratchet asked quietly, glancing at the miner. "Please?"

Axil gave Ratchet a pointed look before glancing at Sentinel. After a tense nano-klick he nodded, finally walking away but hesitated at the building corner, glancing back at Ratchet. Ratchet gave him an encouraging nod and the miner finally left.

Sentinel Prime visibly relaxed then but he still kept the regal air about him.

"Sir?" Ratchet asked hesitantly after a few intense nano-klicks of the Prime studying him.

"I never expected to see you here Ratchet." Sentinel said finally, his smooth faceplates not giving anything away.

"Nor I you." Ratchet replied, struggling to keep his armor flat and hide the fear he felt.

"True. But Orion insisted that Chrome upgrade him. For Primus sake I don't know why he chose that mech."

"Sir, Chrome is a skilled medic." Ratchet defended. "I've seen him work and-"

"And _I've_ heard about your skills. Your sire used to talk a lot about you. About your potential." Sentinel interrupted, cutting him off. "Avalon actually asked me if my personal medic would be willing to accept you as an apprentice."

"He did?!" Ratchet asked in shock before realising his mistake. "Sir."

"Why are you wasting your talents here Ratchet." Sentinel asked in a slightly hostile tone. "Avalon said that you had cut off all ties to your family unit. You've just thrown you're life away."

"With all due respect, I've never been happier here." Ratchet said, anger flaring at the Prime's words. "Chrome has taught me more in the last three orns then I learned in three metacycles at the Academy. This is what I want to use my skills for."

Sentinel straightened slightly, crossing his arms as he went back to studying Ratchet.

"You're wasting your skills." Sentinel said after a klick.

"I don't believe I am." Ratchet replied, being so bold as to meet the Prime's piercing gaze.

"Suit yourself. If you're still here when Orion is upgraded next, I expect to see you working alongside Chrome." Sentinel said before he turned away in obvious dismissal.

"Sir!" Ratchet called out, taking a step forward as the Prime turned back to him. "Avalon doesn't know that I'm here."

"And you want it to stay that way." Sentinel finished. "Very well. I won't inform him. I understand your want of privacy." He turned to start walking away again before pausing. "Oh and Ratchet?"

"Sir?"

"My offer still stands." Sentinel said simply before he walked away. A few klicks later the shuttle roared as it powered up and within a klick it was airborne and soaring back toward Iacon, leaving a very shocked and confused Ratchet behind.

* * *

**Yes I know he tecknically dosent mean Orion yet, but I already have that planned out. that happens a little later on. and I like I way more then the original. I'm terrible. See you all next Sunday.**

**R and R! Love you guys. **


	6. Loss

**Yeah im back! better yet, a double post today! Woo hoo!**

**Nightfrightpony: Trust me, I have no intentions of giving up on this thing. **

**Siriuslyfeisty:Yeah, the original spoils the new version a little bit but I've gone and tweaked this one so much that not a lot will stay the same.**

**BookLovingPersonR.B.L: Glad your enjoying it so far.**

**Neon: Ratchet's about 18-19, something like that. As for the Wrecker idea... I never thought about that mostly because by the time the war starts, Ratchet will be late forty's therefor making everyone else late sixties to seventy's if you know what I mean. Ratchet is considered a 'senior' during the war as he's one of the few that clearly remember pre-war Cybertron. That being said... I still might go with that...**

**Child of Jon snow: Yeah he find out pretty fast. I will come back and elaborate on it, don't forget, none of the others know yet, :)**

**Answerthecall: He's not so much of a creep as just flat out dangerous. You'll see in a later chapter that I had an absolute blast writing. **

**Sunstreaker's Squishy: Yeah, I'm loving this one too. The original I just had a bit to much fun and just ran with it. I've cut down on this one a huge amount so it should (in theory) flow a lot better and make more sense. Oh trust me, there are still trials. **

**Kathy3meme: Yeah, I guess not having read the original will make this one that much better. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far. **

**GarnetEmerald: Glad you're enjoying it.**

**And on to chapter 6!**

* * *

"Look out!"

Ratchet clutched the energon crystal he was holding to his chassis, twisting so that he landed hard on his shoulder, jarring his grip and sending the crystal sliding across the ground. Longhaul hit the brakes, massive tires just inches from running over the crystal and potentially getting his axil blown out from under him. Ratchet shot a savage look at a smug Sandstorm as he got back to his peds even as he felt Longhaul's burning glare on the back of his helm. It had been two groons since Chrome had agreed to mentor him and almost a groon since Dusty hesitantly agreed to start training him underground. And all of a cycle since Sandstorm had last 'accidently' tripped him.

"Fraggit Ratchet, that's the second time you've sent a crystal flying, you_ got_ to be more careful then that!" Dusty snapped, bolting over to snag the crystal from under Longhaul.

"I'm sorry, I'll do better." He said quietly as Dusty stalked over to him.

"Why are you even trying Dusty?" Sandstorm demanded, having moved away and shouldering a long pick ax. "This is a waste of your time and our credits."

"That's not your call Sandy." Dusty growled, glancing at the big tan mech. He shrugged before walking off again.

"Suit yourself." He called over his shoulder guard. "But don't say I didn't warn you when the Royal gets someone terminated."

Dusty watched him leave before turning burning red optics back to Ratchet, handing the crystal back and crossing his arms over his chassis.

"So what's the excuse this time." He demanded.

"Don't have one." Ratchet replied, anger at Sandstorm making his words come out short and clipped. Sandstorm had caused the last issue and it was only Scrapper's quick reflexes that had kept the volatile crystal from hitting the ground and potentially detonating.

Dusty studied him for a nano-klick more before gesturing at the crystal.

"So what's it graded at."

"That's what I was going to ask you," Ratchet said, handing the crystal back to Dusty. "I triple checked it but its saying that its ninety-eight percent energon."

Dusty gave him a half convinced look before he took the crystal, subspacing a small, servo-held scanner. He scanned the crystal in his servo, then scanned it again.

"Congrads." Dusty said with a slight smirk. "You've just fond some of the purest energon in this cavern."

"Really?" Ratchet asked in surprise.

"We've been doing good, but we've been getting around seventy percent" Dusty continued, scanning the crystal a third time. "Where'd you get it?" He asked.

"In the back corner, about half way up the wall." Ratchet said and Dusty gestured him forward. He took the lead and he headed back to where Ratchet had been marking the crystals for the last three orns.

"So is he right?" Axil called down from a tall scaffold a few yards over and forty feet up the wall.

"Yeah he is." Dusty replied, glancing at the dark grey miner. "That's the problem."

"Problem? Why's that a problem?" Ratchet asked.

"Depends." Dusty said before he carefully set the crystal on an outcrop where it wouldn't fall and gestured Ratchet toward the wall. A long thin cable hung down from where it was anchored nearly a hundred feet up and Ratchet clipped it directly onto the front of his chassis. He quickly started to scale the wall, tightening the cable every couple feet in case he fell while Dusty scrambled up beside him. He locked the cable about fifty feet up in the air and gestured toward a large crack running from the top of the cavern down about sixty feet.

"It broke off of that crack." Ratchet said as Dusty climbed up a bit higher, spikes in the tips of his peds digging into the metal as scaled the wall like an insecticon. Abruptly he reached over to grab the cable, his peds wedged in the metal to free up a servo.

"In here?" Dust asked, glancing down at Ratchet. He nodded, bracing himself as the extra weight made the cable groan slightly. He knew that it was more than capable of handling the extra weight, but it made him paranoid all the same.

"Really." Dusty muttered quietly, more to himself than anyone else. "Why the frag did it form here?"

"What do you mean?" Ratchet asked, confused.

"Normally crystals won't grow in cracks like this. If they do, it's usually full of contaminates. Rarely it's above thirty percent energon." Dusty said, shifting his position slightly. "Unless… You said it broke off?" He asked, looking down at Ratchet again.

"Yeah." He replied.

"Or was it wedged in?"

Ratchet thought about it.

"Yeah, it could have been. It would have been wedged pretty tight. Why? What does that mean?" Ratchet asked, confused.

"Dusty, what'cha thinking?" Axil asked.

"I don't know. I have a theory, but I want to ask Sterling's option." Dusty replied, a far off look in his optics before he shook his helm, refocusing on Ratchet. "Yeah. I wanna run it by Sterling first. He should have been back this orn, I don't know what's taking him so long on this run."

"Complications?" Axil suggest and Dusty shrugged.

"Maybe." He replied as he climbed back down a few feet till he was below Ratchet. "Hope not though or Copper's gonna have another fit. Frag I hate dealing with that mech."

He jumped away from the cliff wall, all but free falling back to the ground before grabbing the cable again to slow him. He landed easily and glanced back up at a wide optic Ratchet.

"Keep me posted!" He called up before he picked up the crystal and walked away. Ratchet stared after him for a few klicks before he smirked and shook his helm.

"I have been under ground since I got into my first young adult frame," Axil said, catching Ratchet's attention. "And I have _never _figured out how the frag those small mechs could do that."

"Yeah, it might be a while before you see me freefalling like that." Ratchet agreed before turning his attention back to the wall. He had already marked all the good crystals, varying in size from his servo to one that he could easily stand on, with a small paint brush. Carefully, he started up the wall till he was an uncomfortable seventy odd feet in the air. At the back of his processer he knew the fall wouldn't terminate him, but it would most certainly break something vital.

He turned his attention to the glowing blue crystals in front of him. Dusty had taught him about grading the crystals to find the ones with the highest energon content and which ones were so low that they weren't worth the effort to mine. His own medical grade scanners were fairly accurate when it came to detecting the energon but for the more accurate numbers he used a small, servo-held scanner that Dusty had lent him.

"**Ratchet, we got a problem!"**

Chrome's frantic call over the comm startled Ratchet and he nearly dropped the scanner.

"**Uh, Yeah. What's wrong?"** He asked, carefully subspacing the precious scanner.

"**There's been a collapse a few miles away. Three are hurt bad, we got to move."**

"**I'll be at the medbay in five klicks." **Ratchet replied, already repelling down to the ground.

"Where ya headed?" Axil asked.

"Chrome. He said there was collapse a few miles away." Ratchet replied as he unclipped the cable.

"**There's no time for that. I've already left. I'll send you directions as you come." **Chrome continued but he sounded far more nervous then normal.

"**Chrome, what's wrong?" **Ratchet asked as he transformed outside of the mine and raced off. **"Chrome…? Who's hurt?"**

"**Battleship was one of the mechs damaged."**

ooOOoo

"No no no no nononono!" Ratchet chanted to himself, servo deep in the miner's chassis. Energon continued to pool on the ground as he tried to seal off fuel lines and keep the mech from leaking out.

Battleship was unconscious, his chassis mangled and crushed like the mech Chrome was frantically working on even as his life leaked to the ground in blue rivers.

"Chrome, I need help!" Ratchet called over his shoulder to glance around frantically for his mentor.

"You're on your own Ratch, I can't leave Shader." Chrome replied, sparing the young mech an apologetic look before diving back into the miner before him. "You can do this, just stay focused."

"Fraggit, stay with me!" Ratchet hissed as he dug for the line that was still leaking an alarming amount of energon onto the ground and his knee bolts. Flashbacks of his first time underground, of Dusty leaking out and the burnt frame of Piper, played across his optics and he shoved them aside to focus on Battleship. He had saved the mech before, he was not going to lose him now. "Come on Battle! Stay with me!"

ooOOoo

He didn't even realise that Chrome was speaking to him.

"…-ok? Come on Ratchet talk to me." Chrome was saying, crouched down in front of him, servo reached out to rest on his shoulder guard. Ratchet glanced up, dim optics finding Chrome's concerned green ones.

"What did I do wrong?" He asked in barely above a whisper.

"Nothing. You did all you could. We both did." Chrome said quietly, squeezing Ratchet's shoulder guard. "It happens. You can't let it get to you though."

"I almost had him Chrome. I was so close." Ratchet said, dropping his optics again. He felt Chrome remove his servo, but the sticky wetness of energon remained. The amount of the life fluid that covered his frame, and the ground, was enough to make him want to purge his tanks again.

"I know. You did good mech. You did all you could." Chrome replied, standing with a wince. "Come on. Dusty said he'd will take you home. Make sure you get there in one piece."

"I don't need a sparkling sitter." Ratchet objected, but his spark wasn't in it.

"You're right." Chrome said. "You don't. But you're a mess and the last thing I want is you to get someone off'ed because you weren't paying attention. We're already missing Sterling, I don't need to be worried about you as well. Come on, let's go get cleaned up."

Chrome pulled him to his peds before smoothly dropping into his altmode. The pickup was streaked with fluids and Ratchet knew that as he transformed, it would mirror the gore on his arms and legs from kneeling beside Battle. Chrome idled for a moment before pulling ahead, flashing his taillights to catch Ratchet attention. The apprentice jerked on his axils before also pulling ahead, following Chrome back to the medbay while Dusty pulled up behind him. As they drove below the edge of the plateau, Ratchet cast one last pain filled glance at the three, mesh covered figures laying in the dust behind them.

ooOOoo

"You sure you're going to be alright Royal?" Dusty asked as the two mechs rode the lift up to Ratchet's apartment. Both mechs had cleaned up at Chrome's 'bay but Ratchet could still feel the ghost-like feeling of wet energon staining his servos and armor.

"Yeah." He said quietly as the door slid open with a quiet chime. "I'll… I'll manage."

"That wasn't what I asked Ratchet." Dusty said, stepping in front of the apprentice to block his way in the hallway. It was easily big enough to accommodate mechs Sterling's size, but the small red mech succeeded in making the hallway seem far smaller. "I asked if you were alright."

"I'm fine Dusty." Ratchet said, dropping the bulkier mech's gaze.

"Look me in the optics and tell me that. I do not what to have to come back here to find out you couldn't handle the grief."

"I'm not going to terminate myself if that's what you're implying." Ratchet said, a little annoyed that the miner had even though that.

"Then tell me you're alright and I don't need to worry for you." Dusty repeated. Ratchet shifted nervously before finally bringing his optics up to Dusty's deep red ones. It had been two groons since he had first started and while he was still nervous around the miners, especially Sandstorm, Dusty had all but accepted him off the hop. Ratchet had quickly learnt to trust the mech with his life when he had first started telling about the inner workings of the mine.

"I'm fine." Ratchet said. "You don't need to worry about me."

Dusty held his gaze before nodding and shifting aside. Ratchet sidestepped him only to come chassis to chassis with Nova.

"Nova! What are you doing here?!" Ratchet stammered in shock as the femme jumped back in surprise.

"I was looking for you. I'm off shift and I haven't seen you in cycles." Nova replied with a smile.

"Yeah. I've…" Ratchet paused, vents choking as he thought about Battleship. "I've been busy."

Nova caught the hesitation though and her friendly smile dropped.

"Are you alright?" She asked quietly, her gaze sweeping his frame and he felt the familiar tingle of a light scan. "You seem stressed."

"I'll say." Dusty grumbled under his breath and Ratchet turned to glare at the mech.

"Who's your friend?" Nova asked politely before Ratchet could say anything. At being acknowledged by her, Dusty tensed minutely, optics darting to Ratchet's in silent support. Whereas Ratchet had been in miner territory before, this was now his territory. Dusty was the intruder, even just barely inside of Iacon, and he knew it.

"His designations Dusty." Ratchet introduced carefully. "He's one of the miners that I've been following around."

"Dusty. Ratchet's talked about you. He said you're, what, gang leader I think you put it?" Nova asked.

"Yes miss." Dusty replied formally, armor suddenly tight against his frame. Nova gave a very un-femme like snort, brushing the formal tone aside.

"Please, just call me Nova. Miss makes me sound like someone important." She said, her friendly smile back in place but Ratchet didn't miss the way her optics darted over Dusty's frame. Neither did the miner as his armor tightened again and he shifted nervously.

"**You're making him nervous." **Ratchet said over a private comm and Nova snapped her optics over to him before they darted back over to Dusty before dropping again.

"Oh, I didn't mean-" She stammered, taking a subconscious step back to give the skittish mech a bit more room. "I didn't mean to examine you like that."

"No, it's fine." Dusty replied armor relaxing a tiny bit. "I'm just not used to be under such scrutiny."

"Should be with Chrome hovering over you." Ratchet commented with a smirk. Dusty visibly shuddered at that.

"Primus, don't remind me. I'm finally working again."

"That's right." Nova spoke up again, gaining both mechs' attention. "Ratchet said that you were hurt in a fire. Two groons ago right?"

"Yes. Ratchet saved my life." Dusty replied, catching the apprentice's optics. "Mech's done a lot of good work since Chrome took him on."

He hadn't intended to remind Ratchet of the orn's events but his vents caught again anyways.

"Most of the time." Ratchet hissed bitterly under his breath but the femme's sharp audios caught that as well.

"Most of the time." She asked, looking at Ratchet with a curious flare of her field. "What do you mean? What happened? Ratchet I told you to be careful!"

"I wasn't hurt Nova." He said quietly, armor tight against his frame.

"Ratchet!" Nova scolded.

"There was a collapse." Dusty spoke up. "Three mechs were offlined, including one of my former mechs."

"Oh Primus." Nova breathed, optics wide in shock, servos lifting to her lip plates. "Oh Primus, I'm sorry Ratch."

"It wasn't your fault." He said, more bite behind the words then he intended.

"Wasn't you're fault either." Dusty snapped. "You did what you could and that's all that matters. Chrome couldn't have done any better."

"You're here to make sure he made it home?" Nova asked quietly.

"Yes. Chrome was worried about him." Dusty replied, watching the apprentice closely.

"I'll keep an optic on him." Nova said and Ratchet's gaze snapped up to her.

"No. You don't need to watch me." He objected but at the simmering glares he received from both the red miner and the silver femme he shrank back in defeat.

"Thanks Dusty." Nova said, losing the fire in her optics to shift her gaze to the miner.

"Don't thank me. All I did was my job." Dusty replied, speaking to Ratchet though. "He may be Chrome's apprentice but the orn he stepped ped into a mine he was under my protection. It's my job to watch out for my mechs."

"Thanks anyways though. And thank Chrome will you? For me?" She asked and Dusty nodded.

"I will. It was good meeting you Miss Nova." He said before he dipped his helm in farewell and slipped back into the lift.

Both apprentices were silent, each lost in thought in the middle of the hall when a few klick later Nova walked by Ratchet and deliberately hip checked him. Ratchet was so lost in thought that he staggered into the wall, optics bright in confusion as he stared at Nova's flirty smile.

"What-?" He stammered in surprise.

"Come on. Let's go have a good time and get your processor off the orn." She said, pressing the button on the lift to decent.

"Nova, I really don't feel-" He started to objected when the door slid open and Nova grabbed his bracer, dragging him into the lift.

"You're going. End of story." She ordered, releasing his bracer to press the ground floor button before facing him with a scowl. "Medic's orders."

"You're no medic yet." He grumbled, but he let a small smile quirk his lip plates.

"Not yet. But I will be." She said proudly, making a show of spinning to face the doors again as they opened and waltzed out into the lobby and out the front door. She walked to the street edge, transforming at the curb and, knowing Ratchet would follow her, pulled into traffic and took off into Iacon.

xxXXxx

"Well?" Chrome asked when Dusty walked into the medbay.

"He met a friend there. She said that she'd keep an optic on him." Dusty replied, walking into Chrome's office to lean against the door frame.

"She?" Chrome asked in amusement, turning slightly to look at the grinning miner.

"Yes. She." Dusty repeated. "She's interested in him. But like any young mech, he's too stupid to see it."

"So our little Royal has a femme friend." Chrome said with a smirk. "Primus I miss young love."

"It's a good thing Chrome. You should have found yourself a mate." Dusty replied.

"With this faceplate?" Chrome snorted. "Femme would have to be pretty desperate."

"How do you think I ended up bonded to such a gorgeous femme?" Dusty asked, grinning openly.

"The fragger." Chrome snarled, stiffening.

"Now watch yourself mech, that's my mate." Dusty growled before he realised that Chrome wasn't even focused on him. He picked up the ID signature a nano-klick later and he felt his own armor flare in anger. Before the mech could transform out of his low, sporty altmode Dusty moved to stand just in the doorway of Chrome's workshop. Still visible to Chrome but the new comer wouldn't see him at all. Just to see what happened. And how long Chrome would last before he would have to intervene.

The brown mech outside finished his transformation and Dusty glanced around the corner, darkly amused as the mech scowled and slim digits brushed invisible specks of road dust of his glossy armor. The mech straightened, brushing his gold trimmed bracers one more time before striding toward the medbay on long thin legs. Chrome shifted so that he was no longer facing the door and they slid open.

"You've got a fraggin lot of nerve coming here this orn." Chrome said bluntly, not even acknowledging the mech.

"Oh? I thought it was perfect timing." Copper replied in his cultured voice. "Heard that you'd just finished up your work for the orn."

"Watch yourself Copper." Chrome warned, looking up to glare at the tall, slim brown mech.

"What's to watch?" Copper asked confidently. "You can't do anything to me."

"I can't." Chrome said easily, allowing a slight smirk across his lip plates. "But I know at least a dozen mechs that would risk their freedom to bury you in the rubble."

Dusty mentaly groaned. Not even two klicks and he was threating Copper. No wonder the mech had been so fragged off the last time he was here.

"You're behind on your deliveries Chrome." Copper said, changing the subject and both Chrome and Dusty stiffened.

"What are you talking about. Sterling left." Chrome said. "Pit, he should have been back this orn."

"I don't care when he left, all I care about is that you're gang is behind." Copper snapped. "Your mechs are getting lazy-"

"Lazy has nothing to do with it." Dusty barked as he walked out of the doorway, making the Elite mech jump. "You've been bouncing _my_ mechs around for the last who knows how long. We're understaffed after Piper was offlined and we had three mechs on the recovery list. Then as soon as he's functional, you up and take Battle and send him off to some other mine only for his to get terminated. Sterling's off on your delivery run and without him we're still three mechs short!"

With Copper's back to him, Chrome mimed lynching himself before jabbing a digit at Copper and grinning.

"**Behave."** Dusty growled over the comm but his words held dark amusement. In reply, Chrome rolled his optics, then lifted his servos, curling his digits as though he was going to strangle the Elite mech.

"Your mech never showed up." Copper said, unaware of what was going on behind him. Chrome dropped his servos in shock at the mech's words.

"You're so called runner in running late. You're two loads behind and its costing me." Copper turned back to Chrome with a cruel smirk, trying to sound intimidating but his flared armor gave him away.

"Sterling took two trailer as soon as he was able too. This double load will break even." Dusty growled.

"Except he never showed up."

"That makes no sense." Dusty mumbled, gaze back on Chrome. "That makes no sense, he's made that run hundreds of thousands of times. He could do it in recharge. Few joors fine. But that's a three orn trip there and back. If he never showed up, he's two orns behind."

"Think he was attacked?" Chrome asked, also completely ignoring Copper.

"No, he's more than capable of handling himself and two trailers." Dusty said. "If he had equipment problems he would have commed us."

"Half that route is a static zone. His comm wouldn't be working most of the time."

"And knowing that glitch he wouldn't have left the load behind." Dusty confirmed.

"Sterling isn't stupid enough to actually spend two orns on that trail without contacting us." Chrome said, shifting nervously. "Unless he's hurt."

Dusty didn't reply, the worst case scenario racing though his processor.

"I don't care what happens, just get those crystals back up to the factory." Copper spoke up and both miners glared at him.

"The only way we will be able to get our quota back up is to get more mechs out here and you know it." Dusty growled.

"That isn't in my control."

"Then make it!" Chrome barked, making Copper jump and realise finally that the two miners had him trapped between them. While Chrome stood the same height as him, and Dusty was some three feet shorter, both miners were far bulkier and Copper knew they had backup. Chrome took another step forward and Copper was forced to sidestep otherwise he would back up into Dusty.

"You seem so good at moving mechs around." Chrome growled, still advancing on the slim mech. "You're so good at blaming us when you're not giving us the mech power and supplies we need to do our job."

Dusty watched as Chrome backed the mech up against the wall. Before Copper could sidestep again to get away from the mech, Chrome slammed a servo up against the wall, blocking the royal in.

"Battleship, Shader and Sawblade wouldn't have ended up terminated if you gave us the right fraggin equipment." Chrome growled in a dangerous voice. "Those beams were falsely labelled and the entire ceiling collapsed on them. It couldn't support half the weight they were rated to."

"You can't blame me for something I had no control over." Copper snarled.

Ya know," Chrome said, smirking as he turned toward Dusty. "I've seen miners split open because the weight on them pops their chassis. I wonder how much weight it would take to pop you."

"Get the frag away from me before I have you arrested and shot!" Copper snarled, blue optics locked with Chrome's white green ones. Barely controlling his anger Chrome backed off and Copper straightened from cringing against the wall like the coward he was.

"You have a lot of nerve threatening me like that!"

"Threat?" Chrome asked innocently. "What threat. I'm a medic. I was merely making a medical observation."

It was the cold flat way in which he said it that made Copper's vents skip again. Knowing he would get blamed if the mech suffered a spark failure and knowing all too well that Chrome would take his sweet time 'trying' to save him, Dusty finally reached out a servo to brush against Chrome's bracer. The medic backed off, engine still growling in anger before he stormed into his office.

"Get us another two mechs, put Ratchet on the payroll and we'll get your fraggin crystals." Dusty growled.

"You can't make me do anything. I should have you both shot for uttering threats and assault." Copper threatened. "Even if I felt like it, I couldn't just add another mech to the payroll."

"I didn't see Chrome touch you once and like he said, it was just a medical observation." Dusty replied just as cold as Chrome came back, a datapad in his servo. He slapped it into Dusty's open palm before stalking into the medbay, watching the two mechs out of the corner of his optic.

"Here's your files." Dusty said, holding the datapad out. "Now do yourself a favor and get your aft out of his medbay before Chrome decides to find out what makes you tick."

The high pitched whine of a power saw rang though the medbay and Copper's helm snapped up to see the big saw Chrome kept for removing thick armor in a hurry, power up as he happened to check the blade at that moment. It was too much for the royal and he grabbed the datapad from Dusty.

"Keep him-" He jabbed a digit in Chrome's direction, "-away from me. Count yourself luck Dusty. If it was my way you're entire fraggin gang would be bait metal. I'll see what I can do about his so-called "apprentice" and getting another mech out here. But you'd better find that mech of yours and get my crystals to the factory."

"I'll keep that in mind." Dusty replied as Copper made a regal dash out of the medbay. As soon as the brown and gold mech dropped into his altmode and peeled off, Dusty spun to face Chrome.

"Seriously?!" He yelled. Chrome gave him an innocent look as he allowed the saw to die, setting it back in its place under the counter.

"What'd I do?" He asked innocently.

"This is why I'm gang leader and you're not." Dusty snapped. He glared at Chrome for a moment longer before his lip plates started to twitch.

"_I_ thought it was funny." Chrome muttered and Dusty couldn't stop the smirk that pulled at his lip plates.

"It was fraggin hysterical." He said with a laugh even as Chrome grinned at him.

"I haven't had so much fun scaring that mech in a long time." Chrome replied even as he chuckled.

"But to get serious again." Dusty said, sobering up in an instant. "Where the frag has Sterling been for the last two orns?"

"And that my friend," Chrome said gravely, "is the million credit question."

* * *

**Nice. Copper's an aft and so is Sandstorm. **

**I quiet frankly love the ending. That happened in grade 12 carpentry when the grade 9s were checking out the new school. He started a saw, then screamed like he had cut himself. Scared the crap out of the grade 9's. We almost did that in welding but the teacher would have failed us. ;)**

**R and R people. **

**(Yes, I know this chapters a bit short, but the next one is longer.)**


	7. Freeze

**Again, sorry bout the shorter chapter last time, this one I think makes up for it. Longer, more drama, and someone almost dies. All good.**

**BookLovingPersonR.B.L: Oh yes, I wish I had too. I just heard about it, there was such competition between all the shops classes that you'd better have one heck of a good excuse for a _welder_ to go anywhere near _carpentry_ *spits to side***

**Child of Jon snow: You'll find out...**

**Neon: Yes true. I forgot about that. But one thing that I mentioned is the selion poisoning. I will elaborate more on that coming up but yes, other then that they are pretty much immortal. Yes, they are the same Longhaul, same with Scrapper just different colors. Again, everything will (hopefully) get explained. (including where Chrome got trained)**

**Answerthecall: I'm glad you're enjoying it so far. **

* * *

Two orns previously

xxXXxx

Sterling grunted as he was forced to downshift again, the weight of the two fully loaded trailers nearly causing him to stall out on the steep incline. Doing so would mean he would never get going again.

"Fraggin' Copper." He growled, tires finally catching on the loose ground and he lurched forward. "Fraggin' deadlines. Ha! Why do'cha get ya aft down 'ere an' Ah'll tell ya 'bout deadlines. Ah'll shove ya fraggin deadlines so far up ya aft Chrome 'ill 'ave tah pull it out ya throat!"

He crested the hill, black smoke spewing from his exhaust pipes as he finally made it up the hardest part of the track. It was an old trail, and that he knew of, Dusty and the rest of the gang were the only ones that knew it was still drivable. While most of the other haulers would take the smoother road around the worst of the mountains and jagged cliffs to the factories, he had a mate and the sooner he dropped his load and made it home the better. He had driven the track thousands of times and knew it like the back of his servo. That being said, he had only taken a double load up a few hundred times and he forgot how much he hated it. He'd already taken a double load up when Chrome finally let him get back to work and this double load would let them finally break even with their quota. It would also get Copper off Dusty's back.

He was more than powerful enough to make the hard journey, but the tight turns and switch back trails were nearly impossible to navigate with the added 40 odd feet of the second trailer added to his already 75 foot length. A lot of skill and pure suicidal luck was involved as he often found his front axil hanging off the edge of the cliff as his drive axils worked to pull his frame, and load, around the tight corners without taking off the back of the trailer by accident.

He was so focused on making one such suicidal turn that he didn't even hear the sharp whine of a high performance engine until it was right on top of him. A weight slammed onto the tarp covered first trailer and the sudden added weight nearly sent him over the edge with a snarl.

"The frag!?" he sputtered, slamming into reverse to try and get back up on the road. He winced when he heard the back of the trailer grind against the cliff face as he accidently jack-knifed the trailers. The mech scrambled across the uneven surface of the loaded trailer as Sterling locked the brakes and got out from under the trailer. He let one of his jagged blades drop from subspace, advancing on the mech as he spun to face Sterling. He bolted and Sterling lunged after him, snagging the mech and spinning to slam him up against the side of the trailer.

"Ya got ah lot o' nerve 'ttackin' meh!" Sterling snarled, easily pinning the mech in place.

"You're the idiot mech!" He spat, armor puffed up in anger as he struggled against Sterling's iron grip. "Do you even know how much those loads are worth?"

"Mo' then enough fo' meh tah throw ya over tah cliff." Sterling growled and for a brief moment, fear flashed though the other mech's dark red optics. "Now why did ya plan on tryin' tah take mah load by yaself?"

"I don't have anything to say to you glitch." The mech spat even as two more ID signatures popped up on Sterling's scanners.

"Ya brought friends." He said as a smirk worked its ways onto his faceplates. "Ah've wanted tah 'it someone fo' ah long tahm."

He flipped his blade around, bring the hilt of the weapon across the mech's helm. He went limp and Sterling tossed him up against the jack-knifed trailers, not wanting to trip over the little glitch. He glanced around, taking in his surroundings as he waited for the newest threats. The first trailer was still blocking the road, the second jammed up against the cliff face. The most dangerous factor though was not the potential explosive crystals loaded in the trailers, but the sheer, four hundred foot drop that the road bordered.

"Grea' ambush place." He muttered darkly, turning his attention to the closest mech coming up the track. Casually, Sterling walked around the trailer, placing it between him and the mech.

The newcomer didn't expect to come faceplate to faceplate with a potentially explosive trailer and hammered on the brakes, transforming to try and stop from ramming it. Sterling lunged over the trailer, tackling the mech and managed to sink his blade in an armor seam. The mech grunted in pain as he twisted, throwing Sterling off. As designed, the serrated edge of the blade caught, tearing the wound open more and the mech cried out in pain, clapping a servo against his side. Sterling spun, ignoring the first mech and slashed at the second mech that had come up behind him. The mech cursed, a deep scratch marring his red visor and the only thing that had protected his optics. Sterling kept after him, driving the mech back toward the trailer when he realized the mech he had stabbed was back on his peds. He spun, slashing out at the mech and the one behind him grabbed him. Sterling snarled as the second mech landed a lucky hit across the side of his helm and his vision blurred momentarily.

"Now Ah'm mad." He snarled before he fired off his left spike. The mech screeched as he impaled his ped, then retracted the spike to spin and punch the mech in the faceplates. He ducked the first mech's wild swing and drove his shoulder guard up into the mech's tanks, using his moment to throw the mech away from him. He landed hard, gasping for air and Sterling spun again, grabbing the second mech's arm to flip him on top of his friend. Both mechs were left gasping for air as Sterling subspaced both his blades.

Venting hard he staggered slightly as his vision blurred again. The drive up, plus the fight had left him dangerously close to overheating and having a selion attack. The two mechs out of commission for the moment, he focused on cooling down his frame. He never expected the blade that tore across the back of his knee bolts, just between the armor. His legs gave out on him as vital fuel and hydraulic lines were severed and he dropped to his knee bolts with a gasp of pain, catching himself on his servos. He had forgotten about the little glitch he had knocked unconscious.

"You dumb aft, told you this was a bad idea." The mech taunted, walking around to Sterling's helm. Sterling ignored him as well as the warnings blocking his vision as with a snarl he darted a servo out to catch the mech. He jumped back with a cruel laugh as servos grabbed his shoulder guards. He was jerked to his peds, arms pinned behind his back as he came faceplate to faceplate with the visored mech. The mech's fist shot out, catching him in the tanks and Sterling doubled over, vents stalled out at the blow and his temperature spiking.

"What's the matter mech, not so tough are you now?" The mech snarled grabbing Sterling's helm and forcing him to look up before he punched him in the tanks again. The mech he had stabbed nearly dropped him as Sterling went limp but he jerked the silver miner back to his peds.

"Why don't ya go frag yaself?" Sterling suggested between heaving vents. The mech sneered before a right cross followed by a jaw breaking uppercut nearly sent Sterling to his knee guards again, his helm ringing and the taste of energon on his glossa.

"Mah mate can pack ah bett'a punch then tha' an' she's 'alf ya size." Sterling gasped, energon dripping down his lip plates from a bustle nasal ridge. The ground was getting slick in the fluids running in streams down his legs from the knife wounds and he fought to ignore the pain as the circuitry in his legs heated up because of the energon clogged vents.

"You just don't give up." The mech stated and Sterling growled at him.

"Not when Ah 'ave ah family an' friends tha' are wai'in' fo' meh!" He snarled. In response he got another fisted servo to the tanks. He doubled over again gasping for breath before the mech grabbed the back of his helm, smashing his knee guard up into Sterling's faceplates. His helm snapped up painfully, and he snarled, cracked lip plates curled in a feral snarl as he panted for air. Energon was running down the back of his throat freely now and it was clogging his vents. His internal temperature was dangerously high and he stared feeling the first symptoms of a selion attack as his vents started to seize up.

"I should just off' you right now." The mech snarled into Sterling's faceplates. He was just close enough that Sterling lunged forward, head-butting the mech. With a curse he stumbled back, servo darting up to press against a leaking nasal ridge.

"Spawn of a glitch!" He spat before he grabbed Sterling's throat, jerkin his helm up. He reacted, jerking back and trying to break out of the other mech's iron grip as energon to his processor was cut off. The wild panic was enough for his systems to lock, core temperature spiking as his vents seized up. He'd triggered an attack.

"I'm sick of dealing with you."

Sterling went rigid as a razor sharp blade was suddenly driven into his lower chassis. The mech twisted the knife hard before jerking it free and the mech holding him dropped Sterling. He collapsed, servo pressed against the stab wound as errors flooded his already failing vision.

"You glitch! What did you just do?!" The short mech demanded.

"Getting rid of an obnoxious pest! You got those stupid things separated yet?" The visored mech demanded.

"Working on it! Primus, give me a break. He went and jackknifed the fraggin' things and I can't get the hitch to release." The short mech snarled. "I'll give him credit, he knew what he was doing."

"Hurry up. We need to keep moving." The mech ordered before turning his dark red visor back to Sterling. "Piece of slag." He growled before brutally kicking Sterling. The cliff came up and Sterling scrambled for purchase as he felt the cliff side give way under his burning frame.

xxXXxx

Present Orn

xxXXxx

Ratchet walked into the medbay the next orn to see a bright red femme pacing up and down the 'bay. He paused in the doorway but when she didn't even look up at him he walked into Chrome's office.

"Uh Chrome?" He asked and the scarred mech glanced up.

"How you doing?" Chrome asked, turning in his chair to properly look at the mech.

"A lot better. Who's the femme?" Ratchet replied, gesturing at the red femme when she spun around to keep pacing. She was a bit taller than Azure, with thick rough armor that all but screamed working class. Bright red optics were focused on the ground but every now and then they would dart up to focus somewhere in the distance.

"That's Carmine. Sterling's mate." Chrome said, gaze also shifting to look at the femme. "She said that he's been badly damaged. She can feel it."

"But he isn't here." Ratchet said quietly. "You said he's been missing for two orns."

"He has. Sandy's already gone down Sterling's path and there's been no sign of him. Carmine is just about ready to go and terminate Copper herself."

"Axil told me about him. He said that Copper didn't care." Ratchet said, then regretted it instantly at the dark look he received from Chrome.

"Copper is a thief, liar, cheapskate and overall pain in the aft." Chrome growled. "He's the foremech. The spawn of a glitch royal in charge of our mining sector. He's also in charge of our payment. Because of all that slag with the fire and Piper getting offlined, not to mention Sterling being out of commission we're behind in our runs. Copper's been harassing us ever since Dusty took over the gang and for the most part we've ignored him. But this is ridiculous."

"If he's so bad, why isn't he replaced?" Ratchet asked cautiously. Chrome snorted, shaking his helm.

"Because nobody gives a frag about us." Chrome replied, getting to his peds. Ratchet took a step back out of the office and out of Chrome's way. "He's cutting our wages and we can't do anything about it. Accidents are common. Sad fact of life, but they happen. But ever since Copper was promoted to his own sector, the accidents have gotten worse. We're not getting the right equipment and when we do, its old, and in poor condition. Support beams are being made out of slag and are collapsing. Axil does what he can, but he's only as good as his tools. Mechs are getting damaged almost every orn and the termination rate has spiked. The pay used to be high enough that the sparkmates didn't have to look for work unless they wanted to. But Dusty is barely brining in enough to keep his family unit functional and when he was stuck on repair time, he wasn't bringing anything home."

"Dusty's got a family?" Ratchet asked.

"Don' sound so surprised royal." The femme spoke up in a husky voice, giving Ratchet a simmering look. "Weh may not beh as shiny as ya but weh can fall in love just tah same."

"I didn't mean…" Ratchet trailed off when Chrome shook his helm.

"He didn't mean anything Carmine, calm down a bit."

"Calm down?!" She demanded. "Are ya out o' ya processor?! Tha's mah mate missin' out there an' Ah know somethin' 'appened tah 'im."

"Stressing won't help anything. We're doing what we can." Chrome said. Carmine snorted in a very un-femme like way.

"Yeah an' all tah good tha's doin'." She said bitterly. All of a sudden the femme went rigid, optics wide in alarm before she suddenly bolted outside with a sharp cry. Chrome took off after her and Ratchet followed the medic outside.

"Fraggit!" Chrome spat before spinning around and nearly plowing into Ratchet. He had seen the low red car take off down the road as Carmine left in hurry.

"What!" Ratchet demanded as he was left standing outside the medbay.

"Sandstorm found Sterling. He fell off the cliff." Chrome called as Ratchet walked back into the medbay.

"What?!"

"That's all that Sandy's told me." Chrome snapped. "He's lost a pit of a lot of energon and he's unconscious. Carbon's bringing him in."

"How long?" Ratchet asked grabbing the side of the big examination table with Chrome and pulling it away from the wall and into the middle of the medbay.

"Five klicks. He's gonna get them both offlined if he doesn't take those roads slower." Chrome growled.

"I thought there was only one major road through the mountains."

"There is." Chrome said, pausing to glance at Ratchet. "But there's an old track that cuts through the mountains and it's a good orn's drive shorter than going around. Sterling often takes it because he gets some alone time and then he's home sooner for some quality time with Carmine."

"So what happened then?" Ratchet asked. "If he's taken this road as often as it sounds, it sounds pretty, no offence, glitched that he would suddenly fall.

"My thoughts exactly." Chrome replied in a grave voice. Ratchet froze.

"You think he was attacked."

"It's a good placed to be. Tight corners and he's pulling a double load. Makes it that much harder. But I want to know who did it became Sterling is more than capable of holding his own in a fight. Not to mention they will have taken the load and gotten our pay."

"They can do that?"

"Copper only keeps track of how much crystal we bring in. He doesn't care who does it. If another mech brought in our load and said it was from Dusty's gang, he would get the credits, not us." Chrome explained. "It happened a lot more often when we had another mech doing runs. The mech was a complete pacifist and refused to fight for the load when he was ambushed. Dusty finally got rid of the mech and we got Sterling as a replacement. He-"

A loud blast of an air horn had both medic and apprentice jump.

"I'm gonna off' that mech!" Chrome spat as he walked to the overhead doors. He slapped the controls and it opened just in time for Carbon to grind to a halt. "You glitch, you nearly gave us both a spark failure!"

"Worry about that later." Carbon snapped. "Sterling's been stabbed. Carmine found it and he's burning up."

"Those pit spawns!" Chrome hissed, jumping into Carbon's box. "Aw frag, Ratchet get over here! Carmine, you have to move!"

Ratchet immediately moved to Carbon's box, stopping in numb shock at the amount of energon sloshing in the bottom. Pink and grey fluids had mixed with the energon leaving a shimmering puddle of liquid lapping at Sterling's armor. Chrome was kneeling in the stuff, his legs already stained with fluids and Carmine had it spread all over her servos and legs as well. An earie cry was making Ratchet's armor stand on edge and he knew the sound was coming from Carmine as she leaned over her failing mate.

Sterling's chestplate had already been removed to lighten the weight on his vents and revealed the dark purple bruising that marred his entire side and half his front. His side was deformed as the pistons had snapped on impact from the fall and only his heavy armor had kept him from offlineing. Energon was oozing from around Chrome's servos in the center of his chassis, just above his abdominal plating, and pooling on the slopped ground of Carbon's box. His protoform was a terrifying grey as his very life leaked out and all of a sudden Ratchet was standing over Battleship again, Piper laying not even five feet away.

"-chet!"

His entire frame froze up, his servos wet with fluids and watching the crushed miner's spark flicker in his servos. His servos were in Battleship's chassis and he had felt the miner's last pain filled vent. He had known the mech but it was nothing like he knew Sterling.

"-chet! Snap out of it!"

He couldn't risk it. He couldn't risk sticking his servos in Sterling's chassis and feeling his spark gutter out. He couldn't handle the knowledge that he had let another friend offline.

Something hard slammed into the side of his helm, knocking him from his terrifying thoughts and his optics refocused on Chrome's furious faceplates. His servo went to the decent size dent in his helm but it still took a nano-klick to realize that Chrome had just thrown something at him.

"Get your processor in the present and get your aft in here!" Chrome spat, optics down on Sterling's frame. "He's leaking out internally and my servos are too big to find the fuel lines. Ratchet! Get in here now!"

At Chrome's barked command Ratchet finally climbed into Carbon's box, feeling the mech shudder under his peds as he dropped to his knee guards beside Chrome. The feeling of spilt energon seeping into his armor nearly made him purge but at the near murderous look Chrome gave him he held it down.

"Get your processor straight and work!" Chrome spat as he shoved Ratchet in front of him. Medical coding finally kicked and in half a nano-klick he had Sterling's injuries prioritized.

"Work! Sandy, get Carmine out of my way! Royal, seal that line already before he leaks out!"

Ratchet's servos were suddenly in Sterling's chassis, feeling the weak thrum of his spark as he struggled to stay on this side of the Well and the dangerous heat his systems had climbed to. The blade had stabbed into his chassis at an angle, sliding up though vital systems. It had been a big knife, almost a short sword and Ratchet was easily able to slide his entire servo up to his bracer into the gaping wound and clamp off lines. He didn't even realize how deep the wound went until his digits brushed against smooth metal.

"Watch what you're doing!"

Chrome's cry of warning came too late and the silver miner ached in a sudden, silent scream of pain. Broken internal systems shifted and nearly crushed Ratchet's arm even as Carmine screamed in pain from where Sandstorm had his arms wrapped around her.

"You glitch! That was his sparkchamber!" Chrome yelled from where he working on the mess of shredded hydraulic lines and wires that were his legs. "You're not careful and you'll offline them both!"

Ratchet ducked his helm, shifting his position to find another fuel line that was still pouring energon over his servo. He was still leaking internally and he couldn't find all the extra fuel lines in his upgraded frame.

"Frag, I need him on a table. He's got severe internal damages. Where the frag did he fall?! Off the Towers?!" Chrome demanded.

"Just about. That switchback on the far side of the mountain? I found him about a hundred feet down. He's somehow got hung up in a spire. I only saw it when I came back, there was energon seeping through my tracks. Someone tried to cover it up." Sandstorm answered. "The cliff edge was a fresh break as well. It was a dead zone and by the time I commed Carbon and got down to Sterling, Carbon was able to get up there and helped me get him out. I don't know how we didn't terminate him pulling him up that cliff face. It's a sheer drop."

"And a perfect ambush." Chrome growled. "That's it. Sandy, get that exam table."

"But Chrome-" Ratchet objected.

"I don't have a choice!" He snapped, glaring at the apprentice. "Now get out of the way!"

At the direct order Ratchet carefully pulled his servos free, then stumbled out of Carbon's box as the tan miner shoved past him, dragging a shivering Carmine after him. Chrome was already leaning over Sterling and welding templating over the gash on his chassis.

"Carbon, I need you to tip your box so we can get him on the table. Sandy, get it beside Carbon, we'll have to work fast."

"Chrome where do you want me?" Ratchet asked, finally finding his voice.

"Back in those fragging Elite Towers where your entire useless breed belongs." Chrome snarled.

Ratchet reared back like he had been struck and Sandstorm sneered triumphantly even as Carbon skipped a vent.

"Chrome? What do you mean?" Carbon demanded as Chrome jumped out as he started to tip his box.

"If he knew what he was doing, he wouldn't have frozen up like that!" Chrome spat, green optics a few shades lighter in barely controlled rage. He turned to Sterling, catching the mech with a slight grunt as he shifted. Sandstorm was beside him and the two bulky mechs shifted Sterling smoothly from the mess of Carbon's box and onto the table. Carbon pulled forward out of the way before abruptly transforming, the gory mess in his box dripping down his back.

"Chrome, you're out of your processor!" Carbon spat, darting a black servo out to grab Chrome's arm.

"Get your claws off of me." Chrome hissed, his voice a deadly whisper as he froze in place.

"Sterling need's that royal whether you like it or not."

"He doesn't need a mech that's going to freeze up as soon as one of his friends get damaged!" Chrome spat, voice rising in anger. "That how mechs terminate!"

"He froze up because he's scared Chrome!" Carbon barked, engine roaring in anger. But to Ratchet's shock, it wasn't directed at him. "Battleship just offlined or have you barricaded yourself up so much you forgot!"

Chrome tore his arm away, EM field and armor flaring in rage as he got in the miner's space.

"I have not forgotten Carbon and don't you_ dare_ accuse me otherwise." He hissed.

"Then _act_ like it! I happen to like our pet royal. I find him amusing and I think Sterling does as well. The mechling's smart and he's done better in the last two groons then any medic I have had the horror of meeting has done in a lifetime." Carbon growled, dark red optics flashing in anger.

"Are you willing to bet Sterling's life on that royal?" Chrome demanded.

"Yes. And my own when the time comes." Carbon snarled. "Now fix Sterling before he _and_ his mate offline because of your fragging stubbornness."

Chrome held the furious miner's burning glare for a moment longer before he finally stepped down.

"Fine." Chrome replied simply before spinning in place and storming over to a dumbfounded Sandstorm. He grabbed the edge of the table and heaved it back into place in the center of the medbay before slamming a servo on the overhead door switch and it slid closed leaving Carbon standing outside.

"Sandstorm, get out." Chrome said quietly and the miner fled leaving Ratchet behind. The yellow apprentice considered running as well but his ethnic coding wouldn't allow him to leave Sterling leaking out on a table. He could see Carmine in Chrome's office, the red femme curled up in Chrome's chair, arms around her chassis and tears streaming down her faceplates.

He jumped when Chrome sent him a databurst and gave the medic a shocked look.

"Do not make Carbon regret trusting you." Chrome replied darkly, already moving to get supplies from the list he had just sent Ratchet. The apprentice nodded, swallowed his fear and got to work.

ooOOoo

Six grueling joors later and Ratchet stood under the washrack in Chrome's workshop, washing the fluid from his frame. With a deep ex-vent he let his helm tip forward to rest on the tiles of the single stall, the hot cleaner washing more than energon from his frame.

Working on Sterling was the hardest thing he had ever done in his life. He had only been working under Chrome for a two groons and while he knew the miners under Dusty's command, they were still leery of him and he didn't blame them. Sterling still terrified him but it was his blunt honesty that Ratchet had come to depend on. The mech didn't hide the fact that he hated the Elites and what they represented. Carbon was a dark, silent shadow that was never far behind. The silent mech had scared him more times than he cared to keep track of and his dark red optics were constantly tracking everything that happened. But the fact that Carbon would put so much blind trust in him was like a sucker punch to the tanks. It had left him winded and in shock. He had never expected to have anyone stand up for him, least of all that terrifying giant.

"You still functional in there?" Chrome called, snapping Ratchet out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, I'll be out in a nano-klick." He replied, suddenly remembering how angry his mentor had been. The cleanser abruptly felt ice cold and reluctantly he switched the tap off, stepping onto the fan to dry off. A few klicks later and he was standing in the doorway of Chrome's office. The medic was slumped in his chair, peds up on his desk facing the medbay. Still more than a little nervous, Ratchet finally glanced up.

Sterling was laying on a berth, half a dozen IVs pumping fluids back into his damaged frame. They had repaired the internal damage and now could only wait for the repairs to assimilate back into his frame.

Two thick parallel weld marks crossed his chassis between his slitted vents and bruise streaked protoform from where they had repaired the shattered pistons. A third weld ran down the center of his chassis from the stab wound to join the hundreds already crossing his frame.

Once the big miner was finally stable they had slowed down from their desperate race to save his life. Carmine had calmed down, the pain of her mate bleeding over the bond becoming muted as Chrome locked him in stasis. While they did what they could on his legs, Carmine had walked over, sitting on the edge of the table with a rag and gently cleaned up his battered facial plates. It had shocked Ratchet to see the utter tenderness that the femme had shown as she worked on her mate and it had made the fact that he had frozen and nearly cost them both their lives all the worse for him.

As soon as he was out of surgery and Carbon had moved him to a berth, Carmine had crawled onto the berth beside him, curling into his frame and dropping into much needed recharge beside her mate.

"How are you going to repair his knee joints? They were cut up pretty bad." Ratchet asked. They had cleared out the clogged vents and repaired the burnt out circuitry but the joints themselves had been badly damaged by a serrated blade, much like the pair Sterling always carried.

"I'll think of something." Chrome replied, lifting a cube of dark blue energon to his lip plates and taking a deep swallow. With a sigh he set it on the desk, gesturing toward another cube sitting on the corner. "It's not as potent as my brew but it's good."

Ratchet was completely worn out, physically and mentally, and the high grade warmed him up as it burned down his throat. He didn't set the cube down, instead playing with the edge as he watched the various monitors hook up to Sterling. Spark pulse, while weak, was steady. Fluid levels rising. Chrome had already given him the murky white mystery drug and while Sterling's core temperature was still a little high it was tolerable. He also had enough Assemic in his systems to knock out an Omega so that he didn't pull a Dusty and online too soon. Like the gang leader, he was hard to keep in stasis.

"They're going to be alright, right?" Ratchet asked.

"He's too stubborn to offline." Chrome said simply, taking another sip of high grade. "And she's just as tough as Sterling."

"Chrome about me freezing up-" Ratchet started to say, dropping his optics to the swirling high grade in his servo. Chrome didn't even acknowledge that he spoke and Ratchet shifted nervously. "Chrome I'm sorry. I didn't mean to and, Primus, I could have terminated him and Carmine! It's just I'm still so new at this and I know you hate excuses but I don't know what else to say. I- I couldn't focus and if Sterling had offlined it would have been my fault and… I didn't know Carbon had so much trust on me, I don't know why, I'm just some rooky Elite and the mech must be insane to trust me and-"

"Carbon is the sanest mech here." Chrome rumbled and Ratchet snapped his mouth shut.

"Chrome-"

"Don't." Chrome interrupted and Ratchet fell into uncomfortable silence broken only by the steady beeping of the monitors and their own venting. Ratchet knew he needed to say something but he didn't know how to start.

"His designation was Beamer." Chrome abruptly spoke up, shattering the silence and surprising Ratchet. "Real designation was Tailpipe but who wants to be called that."

Chrome stopped and Ratchet glanced at him. His mentor was still watching Sterling but he gripped his high grade with both servos.

"Mine explosion. Down in Straxis, where Sterling's from? Selion gas exploded and off'ed a dozen mechs. Four were bonded so we ended up burying sixteen." Chrome went on before pausing again and Ratchet could have sworn he saw the medic's servos trembling.

"Beamer hit the ground on his side hard. He… got up and walked it off, said he was fine."

He gave a shaky exvent, running a servo down his faceplates before gripping the cube again.

"Beamer was their medic. He was teaching me after I was transferred there for a few metacycles. We worked hard to save the survivors of the explosion."

Chrome smirked but it was humorless.

"Beamer wouldn't stand still so that I could make sure he was alright. He collapsed the next orn, energon buildup in his chassis had started to constrict his vents. He had a massive selion attack. I cut him open to try and ease the pressure and try to get his vents clear. I froze up though and he terminated."

The medic finally shifted to look at Ratchet. The apprentice was watching Chrome with a mixture of curiosity, horror, and sorrow.

"I froze up because I had to work on a friend and I cost him his life." He said darkly. "I have had my servos in 153 mechs that have offlined Ratchet. I knew every one by designation. And every terminated mech has felt like a blade to the spark."

"Do you regret it?" Ratchet finally asked quietly when Chrome trailed off, gaze returning to Sterling.

"Becoming a medic? Pit no." Chrome said. "I've lost 153 but I've saved hundreds. And that's what you've got to focus on. The lives you can save will always outnumber the ones that you have lost. I've been doing this far longer then you've functioned. And sometimes I forget that I've allowed myself to become as hard as the crystal we mine. You're soft Ratchet. But you've got to toughen up. Next time, Carbon might not be here to defend you. And I will not lose a mech because you've frozen up."

Chrome's last words were a dark promise and Ratchet couldn't help but shiver at the medic's words.

"You're lucky Sterling survived. Carbon doesn't take trust lightly. If Sterling had terminate, Carbon would have taken it out on your hide. He and Sterling are close. Closer than brothers. And what you saw? That was in a bad mood over scuffed paint." Chrome continued. "But he's right. I've been driving you into the ground harder than I have pushed anyone. And it's about time I ease off. So here's the deal. I'm not throwing you out."

Ratchet couldn't stop the sharp intake of surprise.

"But you freeze up again and it's over. Twice Carbon has stood up for you and Primus knows why. But I trust his judgment. The third time, even he won't be able to save you. Compute?"

"Yessir." Ratchet replied in just as serious tone, still watching his mentor.

"Good. I would hate to have to find a new apprentice when you were doing so well up until this orn." Chrome said calmly but there was a hidden humor in his tone.

Ratchet couldn't help but smirk. Chrome rarely gave compliments and the simple statement was worth more than the medic could ever imagine.

"Go home. Get some rest. Carmine and I will keep an optic on Sterling." Chrome said after a moment, twisting to look up at the yellow mech.

"Till next orn then." Ratchet said as he finished his cube of high grade, set it on the desk and walked away.

"Till next orn." Chrome replied quietly as he watched the young mech transform and drive away.

* * *

**Love you guys, see you next week!**

**R and R!**


	8. Black

**Howdy yall. I'm back and unscathed from my bout of hiding (looking at you FS fans) and ready to post again. **

**SoulGlitch: Glad to see you found this. hope you enjoy what's to come. **

**Kathy3meme: Yes, I'm known for being terrible to characters. Glad you enjoyed the chapter. **

**TheDarkestCon: No it's not Jazz. Sorry if there was any confusion but he comes back much later (if I do introduce him in this part) No, the ones that ganged up on Sterling were different and the same size as him. And yes, Carbon's just a big softy. But don't tell him I said that. And I'm pretty sure Ratchet wouldn't have walked away intact. **

**Neon: She might show up again, depends on my mood and if I can get it to all sound right. Yes I'll mention the creator-youngling bond later on. I don't elaborate much on Chrome's creators but they do get mentioned (actually in ch11 or 12 they'll be mentioned.) He was sparked into a mining family and his optics are green. **

**Answerthecall: Oh trust me, it will be intense for a while yet. I just realised that now after I wrote the next three chapters... oops. Oh well.**

**BookLovingPersonR.B.L: Like I told Answerthecall, it will get even more intense. **

**Sirisulyfeisty: Yeah, I cant kill him. I like Sterling to much. Out of all my OC's he's probably my favorite. **

* * *

The 'bay doors slid open and Ratchet glanced up to see a yellow and purple mech slink into the medbay. He set the tools he had been cleaning on a dry towel and turned toward the strange mech. His bulky armor gave away him away as working class but the vibrant, if not slightly scuffed paint, said the opposite.

"Uh… Ah'm looking for Chrome." The mech stammered, strange purple optics darting around the medbay. For some reason Ratchet thought he recognised the mech from somewhere.

"**Chrome, you got a guest."** Ratchet said, comming his mentor.

"**Coming." **He replied and Ratchet heard the loud noise from the workshop die down. Sterling the last five orns and the medic was positive that he wouldn't wake the silver miner. A moment later he saw Chrome walk out, freeze at the sight of the mech, then grab him none-to-gently by the shoulder guard and drag him back into the workshop.

"Are you out of what's left of your processor coming here right now?! It's the middle of the fraggin orn!" Chrome yelled and Ratchet paused to listen in. He didn't hear Chrome anymore though and assumed that they had switched to comms.

ooOOoo

Barely half a joor later and the strange mech waltzed out, a cocky smirk on his faceplates as he left.

"See ya tonight Chrome!" He called cheerfully before walking outside and transforming into a jeep like alt. Ratchet watched him leave before cautiously walking over to the workshop and peering in.

"Fraggin glitch!" Chrome spat, pacing the only bare spot on the floor. "Spawn of a-!"

"You ok?" Ratchet asked nervously.

Chrome froze, helm snapping up to Ratchet.

"Aw frag. Forgot about you." He grumbled, stalking back over to his workbench.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Ratchet asked.

"You get to go home early. I need to… do something tonight." Chrome said hesitantly.

"With that mech? Who was he?" Ratchet asked.

"A cheapskate and thief."

"Who is he though?" Ratchet repeated.

"Someone you'd do best to forget about. Normally this late I'm alone." Chrome replied, once again avoiding the question. All of a sudden Ratchet remembered where he had seen the strange mech.

"Swindle." He said quietly, optics drifting to the ground in concentration. He missed the way Chrome stiffened in alarm, bright green optics snapping to Ratchet.

"His designation's Swindle isn't it? He's part of some smuggling…" Ratchet trailed off in shock, realising what was going on. "The Black Market," He said finally, staring up at Chrome. "That's where you got the parts for Dusty and Battle's leg. Didn't you."

Chrome remained silent but that was all Ratchet needed.

"Didn't you?"

"Yeah." Chrome said finally, gaze meeting Ratchet's in an obvious challenge. "Yeah I did. It's the only way I can get the parts they need without having to spend a fortune and a half that I don't have.

"But those parts…" Ratchet stammered to a stop. He knew they were stripped off of other mechs, most unwillingly.

"Yeah, I know exactly where they get them from." Chrome continued, his voice hard. "And I can't afford to care. You think Dusty would even be online if I didn't? Or Sterling? Or any of my mechs?"

Ratchet realised the line he had crossed and stepped back, armor tucked flat against his frame.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly, avoiding Chrome's burning gaze.

"Just another thing you didn't think of." Chrome muttered, his own flared armor settling slightly even as he finally backed down, giving the mech some space and turning back to his work table.

"That's where you're going tonight? To the Black Market?" Ratchet asked, knowing he was pressing his luck but feeling a little bold at the same time. Chrome hesitated before nodding.

"Yes. If they have what I need, Sterling will be walking again as soon as his chassis has healed." Chrome finally said.

"I want to come."

Chrome spun to stare ate him.

"What?"

"I want to come. You're right, it's another thing I didn't know and I want to learn." Ratchet said, meeting the medic's optics. "I want to come."

"You walk in that place and I can guarantee you that someone's gonna try and off' you." Chrome said bluntly, watching Ratchet.

"Sterling nearly did." He replied even as Chrome smirked.

"Yeah, that sounds like him. But I'm serious. Sandstorm was ready to shoot you because of your optics. You're going to make a lot of mechs real skittish." Chrome said, "The last thing I want or need is someone coming after either of us because I let a gold optic royal into that place."

"What if you changed them?" Ratchet suggested to Chrome's shock.

"You want me to change your optics?! You must be glitched."

"I'm serious Chrome-"

"So am I!" Chrome snapped. "You're messing up a lot of rules just being here Ratchet. I touch your optic color and I could have the Council after me. Or worse. They'll go after me _and _the rest of the gang. I can't risk it. Sentinel is already watching me far closer than I like. I can't risk having any more attention on this place. I can't."

"Chrome, I _want_ to do this. I _need_ to do this!" Ratchet insisted. Chrome dropped his gaze, turning away from him slightly as he found the work bench far more interesting. Ratchet shifted nervously, waiting for his mentor to respond.

"What the frag." Chrome grumbled before turning back to Ratchet. "Breaking enough laws anyways. You can come. On one condition."

"What."

"You get your optics done there."

It was Ratchet's turn to stiffen in alarm.

"There?!" He stammered. "But…"

"I don't have anything to change optics lenses. Most certainly not to a middle class color. They have what I need. More than that, they know how to do it." Chrome said. "That's the only way I'd let you come."

Ratchet was silent. While he desperately wanted to come and see how Chrome got the parts he needed, he wasn't thrilled, border line terrified, of having some black market smuggler doing anything to his systems.

"I'll… I'll do it." He finally said. Chrome smirked, shooting Ratchet a sly look before turning back to his work bench.

"Good. Now go finish cleaning up. If you're tagging along then I can leave earlier." Chrome said with a huff, shooing Ratchet back out into the medbay.

ooOOoo

"Here."

Ratchet jumped as Chrome came up behind him, thrusting a large container of gray paste at him.

"What is this?" Ratchet asked, noting the very course constancy. Hesitantly he dipped a digit in the thick paste.

"It will hide the shine on your paint. It's Sterling's. The mech lights up like a floodlight at night." Chrome explained. "It's mine dust with a bit of cheap polish. Washes off with a good scrub."

"And then I won't stick out so badly?" Ratchet asked sheepishly, fingering the paste on his digit.

"Like I said, keep your helm down and hopefully no one will be paying too much attention." Chrome said with a shrug, reaching for the paste.

"Well, better get at it then." Ratchet replied, smearing the paste down his bracer. The yellow paint still shone through but like Chrome had said, it was now a dingy yellow instead of his normal florescent shade.

"My roommate is going to terminate me when he sees what I did to myself this time." He muttered even as Chrome smeared it down the back of his shoulder guard.

ooOOoo

Within the joor Ratchet was following Chrome down a narrow road, his paint masked by the paste and inches from Chrome's bumper.

"**You can back off." **Chrome growled when Ratchet got a little to close again. In response he backed off, drifting off to the side to see ahead of Chrome. They were on the edge of the outer rings of Iacon, in what looked like a rough shipping port. Warehouses and the like lined one side of the road while a wide open space on their left had various sized shuttles and spacecraft landing and departing. Even as they wove around bulky mechs, a large, angular spaceship roared overhead before pivoting and landing in an open space. Ratchet shuddered at the backdraft from the engines, subconsciously moving closer to Chrome again. He watched as the cargo bay door opened and nearly stalled.

"**That's an organic!" **Ratchet stammered, staring as the tall, slim creature walked out, another of it's species following it behind it. He had seen organic species before but they were primitive, barely having so much as a language and it had only been images. He'd never seen such an advanced one before.

"**They call themselves Declorians."**

"**And they come here? Why?"** Ratchet asked in fascination, studying the organics. They both stood a fair bit taller than him, probably closer to Sterling's height but were very slim with no obvious armor or protection other than the thin material that was draped over their pale grey hides. The taller of the two gestured back into the ship, turning a faint shade of red and the second turned, stalking back inside as it turned a similar shade of red.

"**They come here to trade."**

"**In what?" **

Even as he asked the question, there was a yell and a small, organic form bolted out of the shuttle. Ratchet could only watch in horror as the taller Declorian made a grab but missed, the small organic dodging the other's long thin arms as it made a break for it.

"**Slaves."** Chrome replied gravely as the second Declorian came back out, a large gun of some kind in it's servo. An electrical charge shot from the barrel of the gun, striking the creature in the back and it went down with a harsh cry.

"**Mostly weapons. But they are known slavers." **Chrome said quietly pulling ahead. Ratchet remained, watching as the second Declorian stalked over to the small form, kicking it before grabbing it by the back of the neck and dragged it back to the ship. He glanced around, horrified but not surprised to see the mechs in the area not even glancing at the scene that was happening.

"**Ratchet! There's nothing you can do for that creature." **Chrome called and Ratchet pulled ahead, catching up.

"**How can they land here? Cybertron doesn't allow slave trade."**

He was caught off guard when Chrome gave a bark of laugher.

"**You keep thinking that Royal. See how far that gets you." **Chrome replied as the medic pulled to a stop, Ratchet nearly rear-ending him.

"**Remember, keep your helm down and your optics dim. A lot of mechs are going to stare because of your frame type and the last thing we want is to attract more attention. I'd bet my medbay that ninety percent of the mechs here are in some kind illegal business. Act like you belong here."** Chrome warned before abruptly transforming, green optics scanning the area. Ex-venting sharply, Ratchet also stood, remembering to keep his helm down as he followed Chrome.

"Where do you think you're going royal?" A rough voice snarled as a servo grabbed Ratchet's shoulder guard. He almost jerked his helm up in surprise, only remembering that his optics would most likely get him terminated.

"He's with me." Chrome snapped and the servo was removed.

"What's with you Chrome. Bringing a royal with you here?"

"I said he's with me. Why is none of your concern."

"Suit yourself butI ain't picking up the pieces when Arachnid gets though with him." The mech said before he moved off. As soon as he was gone Ratchet shot a servo out, catching Chrome's arm in panic.

"Arachnid?!" He hissed. "You didn't tell me that it was Arachnid!"

"Would you still be here?" Chrome asked, shifting so that Ratchet's optics were still hidden.

"That might have been a little important to tell me!"

"Feel free to go back to the medbay." Chrome said easily, holding Ratchet's near panicked gaze. The apprentice dropped the medic's optics.

"No. I'd still want to come."

"Good. Cause this is it." Chrome turned then, pushing open a sliding door.

"Wait, what?!" Ratchet stammered in alarm before Chrome reached over and lightly smacked him in the side of the helm.

"Optics on the ground. That was just the door guard. Now comes the hard part." Chrome replied with a smirk before walking into the building.

The wide open warehouse was empty, only a small sliding door at the end of the building the only thing that stood out against the rusted walls. Chrome walked over, sliding his servo against the wall.

"What are you-" Ratchet was about to ask before the door slid open reviling a lift. "It's underground?!"

"Yes." Chrome said with another smirk as he walked in. He tapped the button on the lift and the door slid shut before it started to go down.

"Oh Primus, what have I gotten myself into this time…" Ratchet muttered as the lift stopped. He guessed it was about five levels down.

"Remember-"

"Helm down or I get shot." Ratchet interrupted. Then shot a nervous look at Chrome.

"Good. Maybe we might get out of here online."

Just then the door slid open and Ratchet couldn't help but stare. Chrome smacked him again and he dropped his gaze.

What he had seen was a massive underground cavern, long strings of lights casting the area into eerie shadows. The room was filled with mechs of all shapes and sizes. Femmes in scant armor and covered in glitter drifted through the crowd as well as a few other alien races, both mechanical and organic.

"Sweet Primus this place is busy. Who the frag came to town this orn?" Chrome muttered as he walked into the mess. Ratchet stuck close to him, keeping his helm down but unable to keep his optics still as he tried to take in all the sights without revealing his optic color.

"Well-ell-ell. Ah haven't seen you round 'ere befo'."

A heavy arm slapped across his shoulder guards and crushed him up against another frame. Ratchet jumped, optics darting up the big, very overcharge, mech nearly hanging off of him. Chrome had disappeared and Ratchet felt a surge of panic as he tried to squirm out of the mech's iron grip.

"Get you're filthy servos off of him." Chrome snarled, the big medic suddenly back at his side, yanking the mech's arm off of him. He immediately backed off, rubbing at his arms nervously.

"Eeh Chrom-mmh." The mech slurred, glancing down at his side in surprise when he realised Ratchet was standing a few feet away, armor standing on end.

"Leave him alone. He's with me." Chrome growled, still griping the mech's wrist.

"Ee's some royal. Why do… do you care about him?" The mech asked, trying to shake Chrome off.

"Leave him alone." Chrome growled.

"Or what." The mech snarled, suddenly aggressive and towering over Chrome. Ratchet saw Chrome's jaw clench and before he even realised his mentor had moved the other mech was on his knee bolts, gasping in pain as Chrome twisted his wrist unnaturally.

"Now you've gone and made a show when we were trying to avoid attention. I don't like being stared at." Chrome hissed, the mech withering as his wrist was bent backwards.

"Frag off Chrome!" The mech snarled. Chrome returned the snarl before there was a loud pop, Chrome finally dislocating the mech's wrist joint. The mech jerked back with a howl of pain as Chrome released him with a disgusted look on his faceplates. He turned his back on the mech with a snarl, grabbing Ratchet's arm and shoving him though the gathered crowd.

"**I told you to stick by me and keep your helm down!" ** Chrome snarled, shoving past him to take the lead again.

"**I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come." **Ratchet replied, keeping his condemning optics locked on the back of Chrome's peds.

"**Well, a little late for that now."** Chrome muttered.

"**How did you do that? Dislocate his wrist like that?"** Ratchet asked after a moment.

"**When you've been attacked and threatened as often as I have, your codding starts to corrupt itself." **Chrome said before coming to a sudden stop again.

"Chrome! Ya showed up!"

Ratchet instantly recognised the high, slightly accented voice of Swindle as he came up beside Chrome.

"And you brought the roy-"

Swindle's voice cut off and was replaced by a warning growl from Chrome.

"Keep you're lying trap shut and tell me where Arachnid is." Chrome growled. "I am not in the mood to deal with your slag."

"Alright Alright. Primus. No need to growl at a mech like that. Boss is in her office. I'll let 'er know ya coming."

"I can tell her myself." Chrome growled as he shoved past Swindle. As Ratchet waked past him, Swindle clapped him on the shoulder.

"Nice look." He said before he disappeared into the crowd.

"This way." Chrome said quietly, changing directions.

After a few more tense nano-klicks in the crowd they stopped at a sliding door at the back of the cavern. Chrome knocked and the door chimed, sliding open. The medic walked in, Ratchet close on his peds as the door slid shut behind them, the lock engaging.

"Chrome. So good to see you again." A silky femme's voice said quietly. "Swindle said that you would be dropping by."

"Hasn't been that long Arachnid. I had to get parts of for my gang just a few cycles ago." Chrome said. "I have a favor I need."

"Oh?"

"I need this fixed." He nudged Ratchet and his helm shot up, giving Chrome a confused look before sleek purple and black armor caught his attention. The purple femme was reclining in an office chair, datapad in servo as her heeled peds were crossed on her desk. A mass of thin metal panels were bunched at her back while long thin horns curved up above her helm.

Vibrant purple optics locked on his gold ones before the femme smiled, exposing fanged denta.

"You must be Ratchet." She purred, shutting the datapad off and setting it on the desk.

Chrome shoved him, harder this time.

"Ye-yes ma'am." Ratchet stammered, optics dropping even as his armor flared again. Arachnid laughed, tossing her helm back even as the panels on her back shifted.

"I shot the last mech that called me a ma'am."

Ratchet's armor flared even farther, his spark racing as he felt Chrome tense.

"You're a friend of Chrome's though so I'll let it go. This time." She continued and Chrome visibly relaxed. Arachnid abruptly dropped her peds to the ground standing up and walking around the desk to come faceplate to faceplate with Ratchet. He froze, not sure what to make of her examination.

"Gold optics." She said. "Not something I see often." She turned to Chrome. "I'd give you credit for doing a good job. They look real but I'd know if you got gold lenses and you can't code to save your own spark."

She turned back to Ratchet.

"So who did them? They did a good job."

Ratchet shot Chrome a confused, almost begging look and the medic chuckled, drawing Arachnid's attention back to him.

"Those are real." Chrome said simply, still smirking. "Nobody tweaked them."

Arachnid spun back to Ratchet, razor sharp claws darting out to grasp his jaw, turning his helm to the side. Finally she huffed, releasing him and taking a step back, arms folded over her chassis. A smirk grew across her faceplates and it sent a chill up Ratchet's spinal column as he fought the urge to rub his jaw and check for energon.

"You want to blend in better I'm guessing." She said finally. "A middle class color obviously with that frame of your's."

"Do you have lenses that you could do it now?" Chrome asked.

"You want me to do it?" Arachnid asked, cocking an optic ridge in amusement. "You got nerve asking me to get my servos dirty again. But, I have something better."

"You have codes?" Chrome asked in surprise.

"Yes. Those I can get you. At a cost. But you're not here just for the Elite are you? Heard that silver mech of your's got attacked. The Polyhexian?"

"Straxis." Chrome corrected. "He's from Straxis. And I'd be willing to bet you know who attacked him."

"Yes. I have a pretty good idea. Three of them. One came in with a scratched up visor and a subspace full of credits that didn't belong to any of them." Arachnid said easily.

"What are the chances you'd tell me who beat up my mech so I could go and strip them for parts? You'd even get the leftovers." Chrome growled.

"Tempting. The one owes me a lot of credits but you know I don't rat out my cliental." Arachnid said with a smirk, taking a step toward Chrome. "Besides, I won't get half a dozen credits off of them. But you're looking for joints right? Just got a new shipment."

"Figured by the traffic you got coming though here." Chrome said with a smirk.

"Yeah, a few more mechs then I like but as long as the credits keep coming…" She trailed off with a fanged grin. "Apparently, somebody important got himself grabbed and everyone underground in interested. But I know you don't care for that. Now. The Elite."

She spun on her heeled ped and Ratchet finally got a proper look at her back. What looked like six long legs were folded against her spinal support and Ratchet shuddered.

"**There's a reason she's called Arachnid."** Chrome said with a knowing look. Ratchet nodded, his gaze fixed on Arachnid as she walked to her desk, taking what looked like a data stick out of her desk drawer. She walked back over, presenting the stick to Chrome.

"Check it out. I've used it a couple times myself. It's clean." Arachnid said as Chrome took the stick from her, inserting it into the dataport on his wrist. Ratchet fought back the alarm as Chrome stiffened, his attention turned inward to the coding no doubt scrolling across his optics. Finally he nodded, pulling the stick free and handing it over to Ratchet.

"Try it out." Chrome said, gesturing to the stick. Ratchet hesitated a moment before inserting it into his own dataport.

His firewalls surged up at the registered threat and his malware scanned the complex lines of coding waiting outside his processor. Every instinct of his wanted to reject the virus like coding. Finally Ratchet lowered his firewalls and the virus surged forward. He shuddered as it went to work, imbedding itself in part of his core programming. It twined around the codes before it stilled and he marked the changes so that his malware didn't try to pick it apart.

"What do you think?" Arachnid asked, holding up a polished sheet of metal. Ratchet took it, staring at his reflection in fascination.

Instead of his usual bright gold optics, deep blue ones stared back at him.

"Whoa." He muttered, turning his helm to the side before handing the sheet back to the femme. "How'd it do that. I mean, I know how coding works but-"

"It's called an override. Totally illegal but I know a mech that specialises in overrides." Arachnid said with a smirk before her optics flickered to a deep green, to a pale blue, then back to purple.

"Looks good Royal." Chrome said with a smirk, nodding his approval at the change.

"You think Sandstorm will quit harassing me?" Ratchet asked hesitantly.

"Doubt it." Chrome said, shaking his helm as he turned his attention back to Arachnid. She was frowning.

"Hookclaw says you just broke his wrist?" She asked, optic ridge cocked.

"It's only dislocated." Chrome replied just as causally. She smirked then, reaching over her desk and the door unlocked.

"Consider the optics a thank you then. The glitch has been causing a lot of problems for me. Bout time somebody taught him a lesson." Arachnid said, standing up, and snatching the datapad from the desk, walked to the door. She yanked it open hard and Swindle stumbled in. He looked up sheepishly as Arachnid hissed at him in obvious anger.

"Ah…heh heh…hi. I ahh…" He stammered. With savage strength that her slim frame hid, Arachnid grabbed Swindle by the throat, somehow lifting him off the ground and slamming him against the wall as Ratchet jumped out of the way. Six long spindly legs branched off of Arachnid's spinal support, arching over the half terrified Swindle.

"On orn, I will take your helm off." She snarled, shoving him against the wall harder and drawing energon from her claws digging into Swindle's neck cables. One of her legs brushed against his cheek plates and traced down his jaw. "Remind me why I even keep you online."

"Ya need meh! Ahm the go between. Right?" Swindle croaked. Arachnid hissed again, somehow tightening her grip even as her leg traced down his jaw across his throat. Swindle squeaked, his servos trying to pry Arachnid's claws from his throat. A moment later Arachnid dropped him, her spider like legs flattening against her back again.

"If you'll follow me." She said, her attitude switching back to the carefree one she had had before. She stepped over a gasping Swindle and marching out into the cavern as Ratchet stared at Chrome in shock. He shrugged before also stepping over Swindle.

"**Don't say anything and just follow me. He'll be fine, Arachnid didn't even touch him."** Chrome said.

"**What?! She nearly took his helm off!"** Ratchet objected, glancing down at Swindle as he followed Chrome out of the office.

"**He still has his helm, she hardly touched him."** Chrome repeated, glancing back at Ratchet with a shrug. Ratchet stared at Chrome a moment more before shaking his helm and following his mentor.

"**Sweet Primus that femme is terrifying."** Ratchet muttered.

"**How do you think she survived running this empire? She's got her claws in nearly every city-state on Cybertron." ** Chrome replied.

ooOOoo

Arachnid led them though another natural tunnel into another cavern. This one was slightly smaller, more market like then the mass of frames in the previous cavern. Ratchet glanced around at the different crates and tables set up along the wall. His, new, blue, gaze drifted over weapons of all kinds from short knives with weird, glowing blue blades to massive, arm mounted cannons.

"**Chrome, that's the Declorian!"** He commed, the tall, thin organic catching his optic as it easily weaved through the crowd. It was a pale blue now.

"**Told you. Weapons and slaves."** Chrome replied, nudging Ratchet forward when Arachnid turned back toward them. They caught up and she led them toward a sliding door. She typed in a code and when the door slid open, Ratchet was immediately hit with the smell of stale energon. He hesitated and Chrome walked past him, giving him a cautions look as he walked past. Taking a deep vent, he finally followed Chrome into the brightly lit room.

And wished he hadn't.

It was an operating room, but the most terrifying one he had ever seen. Tools and saws of all kinds and shapes were hung on pegs on the far wall, a metal table taking up the center of the room. Dried fluids coated the table and Ratchet couldn't help but shudder at the sight of the restraints bolted to the table and the fresh energon still dripping down the sides.

"Arachnid!" A black and red mech purred, glancing up from cleaning a serrated saw with a gory rag. "I apologise about the mess, I just finished up with a donor. I wasn't expecting company."

"Not a problem Flatline. Both of them are medics anyways. Who was he?" Arachnid asked, pausing.

"He owed you fifteen thousand credits. Onslaught caught him trying to leave Iacon." The mech replied with a slight smirk. "The good news is that his frame is worth sixteen. The mech had a _lot_ of upgrades."

"Oh that's nice." Arachnid purred as she walked to another locked door. Ratchet was beside Chrome in an instant, his EM field flared against the medic's and he glanced down at Ratchet.

"Alright?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah." Ratchet replied curtly. "Sure. Great. Never better. Doing fabulous. I think I'm going to purge."

Chrome chuckled, flaring his EM field in support as the door slid open and Arachnid walked in. Shooting another nervous look at the still smirking mech, Ratchet followed Chrome into the room.

"**He's a medic." **Ratchet said. **"How can he do something like dissecting someone? **

"_**Was**_** a medic. The cross on his shoulder guard was scratched out." **Chrome replied. **"The scariest thing on the planet is a medic that isn't bound by ethnic coding. And Flatline doesn't have a single glyph of ethnic coding."**

"My other client's don't even know about these yet." Arachnid said as she ignored their silent conversation, walking over to a crate and easily pulling the lid off. "I'm giving you first pick. If I remember correctly, these are the right kind for the work he does."

"I thought parts were sorted by frame type?" Ratchet asked quietly, glancing at Chrome.

"They are. But Sterling's frame is reinforced. He did…" Chrome hesitated for a nano-klick before continuing, "harder work when he was still in Straxis."

His words only confused Ratchet more and he knew that one orn he was going to figure out that big silver mech.

"Sterling's frame is smaller than Carbon's but they require the same parts." Chrome explained, walking over to the crate. "He's had a lot of upgrades, most of which aren't entirely legal. That being said, when he falls of a fraggin cliff, it makes it hard to put him back together."

He reached into the crate abruptly, pulling out a large, hinged joint the size of his fist. The joint was clean, the wires and fluid lines neatly taped to one side of the shaft in a neat bundle.

"But if you have the matching one…" Chrome trailed off, leaning back over the crate. After a nano-klick he straightened back up again, the matching joint in his other servo. "-then I think I can make something work. Hold those for me."

He all but dropped them into Ratchet's open servos before rooting back around in the crate. Ratchet glanced down at the two joints nervously, his trained optics noting the slightly jagged edge to the fluid lines, the unstripped wires, and the coarse, rough ends of the shafts.

"What's the price on the pair?" Chrome asked, turning back to Arachnid.

"Thousand credits. I could probably get more but I you're one of the few I can actually trust." Arachnid answered with a fanged smirk.

Chrome snorted, shaking his helm.

"You don't trust anybody. And you know that's what they charge on new parts. I'll pay half of that." Chrome countered.

"Five hundred? A little low Chrome. I know you can do better than that. Eight hundred."

"Not going over seven. I still got a shopping list." Chrome said, green optics locked on Arachnid's purple ones.

"Fine. Seven hundred credits." She finally said, pulling out a data pad and typing something on it. She handed it to Chrome and he pressed his servo against the screen before handing it back to Arachnid.

"**ID activated credit transfer? That's pretty impressive." **Ratchet said, watching the sleek purple femme.

"**And EM field recognition. Only the best for the best."** Chrome replied as he took back the joints and set them in subspace. **"Plus, makes it easier for her 'hired mechs' to hunt you down." **

Chrome ignored the way Ratchet skipped a vent and focused on Arachnid. "What do you have for medication?" He asked. "Got any of that stuff from Mixmaster?"

"I got some yeah. It's going to cost you though. I heard someone offered him almost three hundred credits for the whole thing." Arachnid said, waving them out of the operating room and back into the cavern. Thankfully, Flatline wasn't there and Ratchet didn't waste a single nano-klick longer in that nightmare of a room. Weaving through the crowd Arachnid led them toward a green and purple mech with red optics sitting at the makeshift bar talking to another grey mech.

"Mix, you got a klick?" She asked, resting a delicate looking servo on his bulky shoulder guard.

"Eh? Oh. Yeah. What can I do for you boss?" The mech asked with a slight accent. Arachnid didn't say anything but the mech's optics got darker. After a klick they got brighter again and he smirked.

"Yeah I got some." He said before he subspaced a large jar of that murky white mystery liquid. He handed it to Chrome who ran a light scan over it.

"It's strong alright." Chrome said, but he handed the jar back. "But it ain't strong enough. My mechs are miners Mixmaster, I need the best you've got."

Mixmaster laughed, taking the jar back.

"Nothing gets past you Chrome, does it?" He asked, subspacing a second jar and handing it over. Again Chrome scanned it before nodded.

"That's what I want. How much."

"I had a three hundred credit offer on that jar." Mixmaster said, giving Arachnid a look.

"Ouch. That is steep." Chrome muttered, turning the jar slightly.

"Don't believe me?" Mixmaster asked, subspacing an empty syringe. Chrome shook his helm but to Ratchet's shock he subspaced his own empty syringe, stabbing it though the lid of the jar. He skillfully drew a small about before pulling the needle free. He handed the jar back to Mixmaster before he stabbed the needle into his own arm, injecting the liquid into his bracer.

"**Chrome?!"**Ratchet sputtered over the comm, shocked at what the medic had just done. He shuddered before pulling the now empty syringe free of his bracer and throwing it back into subspace.

"I'll give you four hundred. Right now." Chrome said, flexing his servo.

"Sounds like a deal to me." The mech smirked, offering his servo. Chrome shook it before once again having to sign the datapad Mixmaster handed him with his ID signature and flared EM field.

"It's been a pleasure doing business with you." The mech said, dipping his helm to Chrome before glancing at Arachnid. "If that's all you wanted boss?"

"That's all I needed Mix." Arachnid replied. The mech nodded before turning back to his friend.

"Was there anything else you need Chrome?" Arachnid asked.

"No, I just needed this." Chrome said, subspacing the jar of liquid.

"Then in that case, have a good rest of the orn. Until-"

A loud crash interrupted Arachnid and she spun around with a low hiss toward the sound of a fight.

"Until next time Chrome." She said before the long, thin legs on her spinal support flared out and stabbed into the ground. The long thin appendages lifted her easily over helm height for most of the mechs and she stalked off over the crowd.

"Come on." Chrome said quietly, nudging Ratchet. "We got work to do and the sooner we get out of here, the better."

ooOOoo

It was almost 2 in the morning when Ratchet finally started to head home. He was exhausted, both physically and mentally from the orn's stress and excitement. There was far less traffic on the roads and he barely spared a glance at the few other vehicles on the road.

It caught him completely off guard when the 4x4 tailing him gunned it, suddenly pulling ahead to sharply cut him off just as the road curved. Ratchet hammered on the brakes, his tires skidding on the smooth road when a second mech t-boned him.

He was sent flying, panels crumpling under the impact and flipping onto his side as he was thrown off balance. He landed hard and transformed with a gasp of pain, sliding across the ground to collide with a light stand. His vision flickered for a nano-klick as fire raced up his already damaged side. Shaking his helm he forced his frame back up, wincing when he moved his servo only to have energon drip down his side. Blue optics darted around for his two attackers but he was alone. Straightening in alarm, he once again scanned his surroundings.

"**Chrome? Chrome! Answer me!"**

"…"

His frantic call was met with static and his spark started racing. He took a step forward to get back on the road when a servo wrapped around his mouth, jerking him back against a thick chassis. He grabbed at the mech's bracer in panic only for a razor sharp blade to end up against his throat.

"Well well well." A rough voice hissed next to his audio. "What do we have here?"

* * *

**DON'T SHOOT!**

**I warned you it got intense again!**

**I cheated! Cookies to people who can figure out where I cut and paste from the old version. it's in there. And for your information, this is the first time I've cut and past. 8 Chapters of brand new Medical Journals. I just cheated in this part...**

**oh, on a completely random side note, I can't focus on one thing for any length of time so I'm doing another FF (Neon) while I'm typing this one and I need OC names. Credit goes where it belongs of course and I might also use them in later chapters of MJ. Remember, I plan on dragging this thing on though a freaking civil war so I'll need LOTS of names. **

**Basically I need mech and femmes names of any and all variety that I can have fun with. **

**Thanks guys! You're awesome!**

**R and R please! Have a great week and see you next time!**


	9. Hate

**(edit fixed grammar 5/8/15)**

**Hey guys. I have horrible terrible sad world ending news. My laptop (my life) needs to go in for repairs and the guy said it could take anywhere between a week to six weeks. **

**I'm really sorry guys but I'm sick and tired of having to lug the stupid power cord around everywhere because it wont hold a charge. I already loaded this chapter onto fanfiction on Tuesday so that I could at least post one more chapter before I disappear. **

**So, one more chapter. **

**Thank you Neon ans Child of Jon snow for the reminder. Tottaly lost track of time.**

**HeartsGuardianSol: you didn't have to read the original, it is pretty long. Longest thing I've ever written and yet I went and re-wrote the whole thing. yeesh. And why do you think I'm asking other people for their OC names. Because I cant think of any! ;)**

**TheDarkestCon: yes it was. You read Forgotten Sun. I'm evil. That was kinda the plan of the re-write was to make things more "real" and a bit darker. After all, for them, this ain't a good time. I love the OC names, i'll probably mention them both at some point. I know I want to use Flameflight in my other FF I'm writing. **

**Answerthecall: Yes its intense. I love writing intense moments. Forget fluff, I cant write it save my life. I'd rather throw someone off a cliff or get someone grabbed in a dark alley.**

**Crassher55: I love them. Defiantly will use them at some point. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far. **

**Child of Jon snow: Yes cliffie. I'm mean remember Forgotten Sun? And everything will be answered in time... *que evil laugh***

**Neon: Love the names, already put a face to Redstreak. Close on the cut-and-paste but its a little earlier. The part where Arachnid pins Swindle to the wall was just way to much fun and I had to use it again in the new version. **

**BookLovingPersonR.B.L: yes, and its going to be another intense chapter. **

**Princess Kassie: Sorry, Ratchet's the one that got grabbed. Sorry for the confusion. But don't worry, Chrome will have his chance in the spotlight eventually. **

* * *

"Well well well. What do we have here?" The rough voice hissed as the second mech walked out of the shadows. "Looks like someone got a little lost. Isn't that right _royal_?"

Ratchet forced his vents to slow before he started to overheat, still clinging to the mech's bracer as he watched the other mech with fearful optics.

"He's smart. Changed his optic color." The mech said taking a few steps closer and well within Ratchet's personal space. "He had gold ones."

"You sure?" The first mech asked. "If he's who you said he was, then he's worth almost as much as that Prime's brat."

"It's him." The mech said with a sneer, leaning in closer to Ratchet. "I saw him at the black market two orns ago. Like I said, he had gold optics."

And before Ratchet could even gasp the mech had stabbed a syringe into the side of his neck cables. It pierced an energon line and an unfamiliar drug flooded his systems.

"See you later royal." The mech sneered before everything went black.

ooOOoo

Ratchet jolted back online as his helm collided with the ground.

"Brought you a friend brat." The mech that had grabbed him snarled before heavy pedsteps filled the area. A door slid shut and he heard the locks engage.

With a groan he sat up, hissing when he felt energon drip down the back of his neck. He moved his servo to the back of his helm and wasn't surprised to see the blue liquid. He glance down at his side to better examine the cracked plates and a self-diagnosis showed that it wasn't anything serious, just a few minor cracked fuel lines near the surface of his protoform.

He was also suddenly aware that he wasn't alone.

He whipped around, blue optics locking on a second, much smaller and younger pair in the corner. He was instantly reminded of what the mechs had said about the Prime's creation.

He sure had his sire's optics.

"Orion?" Ratchet asked in a quiet whisper. The youngling trembled but bobbed his helm in a nod.

"You don't know me." Ratchet said, before he turned his attention inward. The coding for his new blue optics were intertwined with his natural gold coding but it only took a few pokes for the illegal coding to go dormant. The light from his optics changed color, the blue light fading to white, then turning gold.

"My designation's Ratchet. I work with Chrome." Ratchet said, watching the mechling. "You didn't see me at his medbay because I didn't want you're sire to recognise me. Avalon? You recognise that designation right?"

Again Orion nodded, straightening slightly.

"He used to talk about you." He said quietly, his voice trembling.

"Yeah, he doesn't anymore though." Ratchet said with a forced chuckle, letting the coding override his systems again and letting his optics turn blue.

"You're hurt." Orion said and Ratchet glanced at him again, surprised to see the youngling standing.

"Yeah, they roughed me up a little." Ratchet said, forcing his frame to sit up properly.

"I don't know what's going on." Orion said quietly as he hugged himself. "I want to go home but Backtrack won't let me."

"Backtrack? Who's that?" Ratchet asked.

"The bigger one. The one with pointy armor is Recoil." Orion said before he started shaking. "Backtrack… he… he shot… he shot Blades…" His vents caught in a sob and Ratchet stood up, ignoring the pain in his side as his medical coding kicked into overdrive. He sat down beside the youngling and was mildly surprised when Orion all but threw himself at Ratchet.

"He shot Blades!" He sobbed, clinging to Ratchet's neck cables as Ratchet gently wrapped his good arm around the youngling that was nearly as big as he was. "He… he was taking me to the… the Hall of Records. Alpha Trion was there… and I wanted to see… to see him. They… they attacked Blades. They… they shot him! There was so… so much energon…"

Ratchet tightened his arm around the youngling as his sobbing intensified.

"Oh, mechling, you shouldn't have seen that." Ratchet said quietly, remembering all too clearly the nights he was still haunted by Piper. Battleship had joined him in the nightmares and he had no doubt that there would be more eventually.

"They… they said they were going to sell me." Orion said quietly and Ratchet stiffened in alarm.

"What?" Ratchet asked in carefully masked horror.

"Backtrack said that if I didn't try to run away again they wouldn't sell me for parts."

A new, terrify though surged though Ratchet's processor. What Arachnid had said about someone important getting grabbed.

"How long ago was this?" Ratchet asked, his processor racing.

"I don't know. Backtrack brings me energon though." Orion said. "He said that I wouldn't worth as much if I was half starved."

"You don't want to get sick either." Ratchet said, once again desperately trying to reach someone. But the room was under a heavy dampener and it was cutting off his comm.

"How long are we going to be here?" Orion asked in a whisper. "I want to go home."

"Someone will come for us." Ratchet assured him. "Don't worry, someone will come looking for us. If not your sire, then Chrome and his friends."

"Sire doesn't like Chrome." Orion said, straightening to look Ratchet in the optics. "He says that Chrome is just a lying, murderous thief."

"That's not true." Ratchet said firmly. "It's what I used to believe for a long time but Chrome's really nice when you get to know him. Chrome and all the others."

"Tell me about them?" Orion asked. "Alpha Trion says that they're good mechs. That they're not as bad as Sire and everyone else says."

"They're not. Well, some maybe. But not all of them bad." Ratchet said, Sandstorm in particular coming to mind.

"Can you tell me about them?" Orion asked, resting his helm against Ratchet's chassis again.

"Yeah. Yeah I can do that." Ratchet said with a slight smirk, glancing down at the youngling.

ooOOoo

That fraggin beeping was driving him insane.

"Oh good, you're coming back online."

It was Chrome's voice and not the husky tone of his mate.

Massive disappointment. And the cold air on his protoform was another sign that he wasn't home. .

"Ah swear if ya don't shut tha' thing off Ah will." Sterling growled, not feeling like onlineing his optics just yet. His side was still sore but it was nothing to what he had last been aware of.

"Yeah yeah yeah." Chrome huffed and he felt something get pulled out of his side and he winced. Immediately the beeping stopped. "You plan on onlineing your optics at some point?"

"Why."

"Cause we got a problem. Ratchet hasn't shown up in two orns."

Sterling onlined his optics, hissing in annoyance at the bright light before focusing on Chrome. The medic look exhausted.

"Wha' ya mean 'ee 'asent shown up?" Sterling asked.

"Exactly that. Last I saw him was when he was heading home after we got your parts." Chrome said. Sterling carefully sat up, ignoring the pull from the new scars on his frame.

"Ya think someone grabbed 'im?" Sterling asked, swinging his legs off the berth. A warning about foreign parts popped up on his HUD and he brushed it aside.

"I don't know what to think." Chrome confessed, taking a step back as the miner stood. Sterling winced as he took a step, his legs feeling stiff and blocky from the welds. The second was better as was the third.

"Ya wan' meh tah find 'im?"

"Yeah." Chrome said after a moment. walking toward the counter where he could see his missing armor. "I can't ask anyone else to do this and you sure as frag ain't going back to work yet."

"An' if Ah need tah be pervasive?" He asked, walking toward the counter where he could see his missing armor. He easily settled the familiar weight back over his spark, the clasps engaged and he rolled his shoulder bolts.

"Just… find him. Fraggit Sterling, I think I'm getting attached to him." Chrome muttered.

"Will do." Sterling said before he headed outside for the first time in a cycle. He took a deep vent before releasing it with a sigh and transforming. If the trail was two orns old, he had his work cut out for him.

ooOOoo

A quick comm to Dusty and he had the route back to Ratchet's apartment. He drove there first, but as he figured, he didn't detect the apprentice medic's ID signature. Fearing the worst, he backtracked, and the second trip he saw the drops of dried energon. He pulled off to the side and transformed, white optics scanning the ground and picking out another few drops of energon. It was a one in a million chance that it was Ratchet's but at this point he couldn't afford to not be sure.

**"Eh Chrome. 'Ow sure 'bout this are ya?" **He asked, opening a comm.

**"Arachnid said that someone important had been grabbed. There was a lot more mechs there than usual."**

**"Ya think someone recognised 'im?"**

Chrome was silent and Sterling couldn't help but chuckle.

**"Fo' Primus' sake Chrome Ah know who 'is sire is. Ah've known teh orn Ah saw 'im."**

**"Yeah, someone might have known who he was."**

**"Aw frag. Ah'll keep lookin' then." **

He cut the comm off with a huff, glancing around again. Carmine pushed as his spark, confusions bleeding though the connection and he forced his sudden unease down.

**|Wha's wrong?|** She asked, nudging him again.

**|Ah don't know. Tha's tah problem.| **Sterling replied, subconsciously rubbing at the bigger of the two scared over gashes that crossed his chassis over his spark. **|Our pet royal's been missin' for two orns an' Ah don't know wha' 'appened tah 'im.|**

**|So ya'll beh 'ome late then?|**

Disappointment flooded the bond and he felt his armor tighten.

**|Ya leaving on a trip next orn Sterlin'. Ah was looking forward tah some tahm tahgether.|**

**|Ah know sweetspark. Bu' Chrome's been paranoid tha' someone might go aft'a Ratch cause of tah Market. 'Ee was run off tah road an' Ah don't know where 'ee is.|** Sterling replied, guilt gnawing at his spark.

**|Sterlin'-|**

**|Ah need tah find 'im Carmine. Ya know tha'. It's tah easiest way an-|**

**|Tha' ain't funny mech,|** Carmine growled, anger stabbing though the bond and making Sterling wince. **|An' don't ya dare do wha' Ah think ya gonna do. Tha' codin' nearly off'ed ya.|**

**|It's tah fastest way. An' Chrome don't know Ah've used it befo'.| **He said after a moment, those terrifying orns underground flashing though his processor and making him shudder.

**|Just beh careful. Chrome jus' put ya back tahgetha'.|**

**|Ya know Ah'm always careful.|** Sterling replied as he sent a wave of love toward his mate. She didn't respond but she returned the affection and the support was all he needed to settle flared armor. Taking a deep vent he forced his systems to calm down before he triggered a selion attack. After the last one nearly off'ed him, he was in no hurry to repeat the experience.

He turned his attention inward, searching for a specific string of coding that he had locked up behind walls metacycles ago. He was hesitant to reactivate the codes, terrified even, but he also knew the danger Ratchet could be in if Chrome was right.

With a visible tremble, he shoved down the walls and the coding surged to life, illegal, experimental codes racing though his systems.

Advanced scanners that rivaled Chrome's medical ones perfectly merged with his visual data and the hidden sensors covering almost forty percent of his frame. For a moment he was overwhelmed by the data feed before the expansions on his processor finally kicked in and sorted the data. He onlined his optics, his visual intake nearly twice what it normally was and everything became crystal clear. The two orn old energon glowed on his scanners and he was easily able to follow the two orn trail.

ooOOoo

A spark of life caught his attention and he froze, the hypersensitive coding nearly stalling his systems in an effort to become completely silent. His scanners sharpened and he relaxed, internal systems starting up again as he recognised the ID signature. With a dark smirk he crept around the corner to see the jagged silhouette of Recoil leaning against a doorframe. He knew the mech didn't know he was there, more illegal teck, and so he stepped back, bent on circling around the mech.

He came at Recoil at an angle, grabbing the mech's arm and twisting it behind his back, his blade up against the other miner's throat cables in less than a nano-klick and most certainly before he was even aware that the silver mech was there.

"Where's mah royal." He growled, keeping his voice just above a hiss. The sensors on his frame easily picked up Recoil trying to comm someone and he let the blade slip just a little. Recoil shut off the comm and Sterling felt his spark beat spike, the surge of fluids in his frame and every miniscule twitch of his armor.

"Sterling mech." Recoil said, just as quiet as Sterling dug the blade into his throat. "Been a while."

"Ya know why Ah'm 'ere, where's mah mech." Sterling repeated.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Recoil growled, shifting fractionally. Sterling tightened his grip on the mech and Recoil froze.

"Ya 'urt 'im. Ya got 'is energon an' paint on ya." Sterling said, his grip tightening again. Recoil gasped in pain as Sterling used his brutal strength to twist the mech's arm much farther then it was ever built for. "Ah won't ask ya 'gain. Where's Ratch-"

He hadn't been paying attention again and the barrel of a blaster against the back of his helm had Sterling cutting himself off even as his coding made him tense.

"Ya know tha's tah second tahm Ah've in ah cycle Ah've been snuck up on?" Sterling asked, still keeping his grip on Recoil even as he finally recognised Backtrack behind him.

"Yeah, I heard you were attacked." The mech said as Sterling turned his helm just enough to see the mech. "Heard ya lost your pay too."

Backtrack was smirking openly now, the gun steady at the side of his helm.

"You could use some credits couldn't you? We just hit the opportunity of a life time." Backtrack continued.

"Ya touch Ratchet an'-"

"It ain't him." Backtrack interrupted. "We snagged someone else. Someone worth more the Chrome's pet."

Sterling hesitated. While Dusty had assured him it wasn't his fault he had been ambushed, it had still cost their gang a lot of credits. Getting damaged had forced Carmine to take extra shifts and while they had a second source of income, most of the gang didn't.

They desperately needed the credits.

Sterling relaxed his grip and Recoil broke away from him, spinning to keep the silver mech in his sights as he moved to stand beside Backtrack. He finally lowered his gun, but kept it accessible.

"Your hunter coding is activated. When did you do that?" Backtrack asked causally.

"Nev'a mind mah coding. Ah want mah royal back." Sterling growled, giving Backtrack a dangerous look.

"You do know who his sire is don't you?" Backtrack asked, still smirking.

"Yeah Ah know. Ah aint glitched."

"Avalon has enemies. They would love to get their servos on his creation."

"Ratchet 'as nothin' tah do with 'is sire. He wouldn't be 'ere if 'ee was." Sterling growled, finally turning to fully face his fellow miners. His armor flared in aggression and Recoil shifted back half a step. "Ah don't care if 'ee's tah Prime's creation, 'is medical abilities can't beh replaced."

Backtrack openly grinned and Sterling reared back in shock.

"Ya…ya didn't." He stammered.

"He likes to go to the Hall of Records."

"Backtrack…"

"His bodyguard was cocky."

"Track…"

"He didn't even see us come up behind him."

"Ya didn't."

"I shot him and Recoil grabbed that little brat."

"Ya kidnapped Orion Pax?! Are ya tryin' tah get ev'ry miner in Iacon shot!?" Sterling demanded.

"They don't even know he's missing." Backtrack said with a confident sneer.

"Like frag they don't." Sterling spat. "Prime will beh tearin' tah city apart lookin' fo' 'im! Ya really think 'ee'll give a frag 'ow many of us 'ee'll terminate in tah processes?!"

"Sterling, we've had him stashed in a place for almost a cycle. And Sentinel can't off' us all. Think of the credits we'll get off Orion alone. Add your friend? Sterling, that's more credits than any of us have seen in a lifetime. It's more than enough to pay off your gang." Backtrack continued. "Buy your mate something nice maybe."

"Keep mah mate out of this." Sterling snarled. "Ya'int sellin' Ratchet tah any slav'a. 'Ee's part o' mah gang."

Backtrack threw his helm back with a laugh.

"Ya must be kidding me. You let that royal work on you? Wait, _that's_ why you activated that coding? To track down your precious royal? Oh that's a joke. How desperate is Chrome that he'd take on an Elite?"

"Tha's none o' ya business." Sterling growled, armor flaring again. "Ah want nothin' tah do with this. Ah jus' want mah mech back."

"I can't do that Sterling. I need the credits even if you don't." Backtrack sad, shaking his helm sadly.

"Let Ratchet go. Weh need 'is skills. Ah told ya. If 'ee 'ad anything tah do with Avalon 'ee wouldn' beh 'ere." Sterling repeated, only now realising that Recoil had disappeared. "Ya won't get anythin' fo' im."

"You think I care about that? Mechs will just want that fragger's creation and they'll pay big credits for him." Backtrack snarled, his own armor flared in rising aggression. The hunter coding flared and Sterling tensed, scanners taking in massive amounts of data as he waited for that miniscule warning.

Backtrack had the gun up in a nano-klick but Sterling had already seen him move. He caught Backtrack's wrist, forcing the gun up and out of the way as he drove his servo into Backtrack's tanks. The gun went off as Backtrack doubled over in pain, the air driven from his vents and Sterling skillfully twisted the gun out of his servo before pistol-whipping him in the side of the helm. Backtrack dropped to the ground unconscious.

"Glitch." Sterling growled, subspacing the gun and turning back toward the doorway that Recoil had been in. The door was open and he shoved it further, the stink of stale air hitting his oversensitive vents.

"Sterling!"

Ratchet's cry was cut off abruptly and Sterling spun toward the sound in time to see Recoil club Ratchet over the back of the helm, shoving him forward. He caught the glint of a blade and lunged for the mech before he could bring it down on Ratchet. He saw the yellow mech jerk a youngling out of the way as he hit Recoil, slamming him into the wall before flipping his blade around and smashing the hilt across the side of his helm. He collapsed in a heap of sharp armor as Sterling flipped his blade back around before subspacing it.

"Ya 'right?" He asked turning back to Ratchet. Chrome had told him that he now had optic overrides but it was still a shock seeing deep blue optics staring at him.

"I'll live." Ratchet said, a servo pressed against his side. His scanners still running at full capacity Sterling was easily able to detect the energon on his side. He gestured toward it.

"When ya hit tah light post Ah'm guessin'?" He asked with a slight smirk. Ratchet stared at him.

"Yeah. Yeah I think it was Recoil that ran me off the road. But… how the frag did you know that?" He asked.

"Tell ya later." Sterling said with a shrug, but then his white gaze caught the youngling's vibrant blue one from behind Ratchet. Orion Pax stared up at him in a mixture of awe and fear and Sterling couldn't stop the low rumble of hate that filled his chassis. He turned back to Ratchet instead of focusing on the youngling.

"Get 'im outta 'ere." He growled, gaze sliding back over to Orion before back up to Ratchet. A sound behind him caught his attention and he shoved Ratchet toward another hallway, a blaster round tearing through the wall just missing his shoulder guard.

"I won't let you take them Sterling!" Backtrack snarled as they moved down the hall. "I need the credits! So does your gang. Dusty? Heard he'd been out of commission for a few cycles."

Sterling snarled, too many emotions surging though his spark. Carmine didn't respond and he knew that by now she would be home and in recharge. He blocked the bond, not wanting to disturb her but he desperately wanted the support of his mate as his hunter coding took over.

"Sterling!" Ratchet hissed, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Eh?"

"The doors jammed." Ratchet repeated, moving aside so that Sterling could get to it. He easily shouldered the door open and it squealed loudly on its tracks as it slid open.

"Go. Ah don't know if Recoil's back up yet." He said, holding the door so that they could get out. As soon as Ratchet was clear he eased though the doorway, glancing around for Recoil or if Backtrack had circled around.

"How did you find me?" Ratchet asked, that youngling still hiding behind him.

"Tracked ya." He said simply, not willing to talk about his upgrades when the Prime's creations was eavesdropping. With the threat of Sentinel and his entire guard showing up at any moment, he was getting skittish. The last thing he needed was any kind of attention. Especially _that_ kind of attention.

"Ratchet, I want to go home." Orion said quietly and Sterling shot him a look. He was looking up at Ratchet with such a strong sense of trust that some of the venom in his spark died.

"Yeah. As soon as it's safe I'll take you home. We'll make sure you get home safe." Ratchet said and Orion clung to him again. Ratchet gently placed a comforting servo on the youngling's shoulder guard, one servo still pressed against his damaged side.

But then Sterling remembered just what the youngling's kind, pit both their kind, had done to his friends and family. Backtrack was right. Had he managed to smuggle Orion out of the city, they would have had more than enough credits to disappear. Nearly three times what they're pay for the metacycle was and that was after the three way split. He knew that had they not grabbed Ratchet, the only mech outside of his family and his gang that he trusted, he would have let them.

His scanner pinged and he snapped back to the present, blade coming up even as he flattened himself against the wall.

"Sterling, what-"

"Shh!" Sterling hissed as Ratchet moved to his other side, Orion right beside him. "Backtrack."

His systems stilled, barely making a sound as he waited, blade ready for the other mech.

Backtrack shoved past the door they had just come out and Sterling struck, grabbing the mech's throat and twisting him around to slam the mech up against the wall, the knife up against his throat cables.

"Let meh make one thing clear tah ya Backtrack," Sterling snarled, his much stronger frame easily pinning the mech in place.

"Why don't you go shove it up your-"

Sterling cuffed him hard and he swore sharply.

"Let meh make one thing clear. Ratchet's part o' mah gang. Ah don't give ah frag 'oo 'is sire is, 'ee's mah mech. Come aft'a 'im again and ya'll 'ave tah whole gang down ya throat. Ya got tha'?" He demanded.

"Crystal clear." Backtrack spat and Sterling released him, backing off and making sure he was between him and Ratchet.

"Get lost then." Sterling growled before deliberately turning his back on the mech to face Ratchet. "Come on." He said quietly, gently nudging Ratchet toward the road.

"Sterling!" Orion abruptly cried out but he had been expecting it. Sterling spun in place, servo catching Backtrack's knife wielding wrist even as he drove his blade deep into the other mech's tanks. His hunter coding screaming for him to tear Backtrack in half but he fought the coding and carefully pulled his knife free, careful not to let the serrated edge catch on anything too vital.

Backtrack stumbled back in shock, servo clapping over the freely leaking wound.

"Sterling, what did you do." Ratchet breathed, moving forward. Sterling shot a servo out, stopping the apprentice.

"Leave 'im. 'Ee already proved 'ee doesn' need ah medic." Sterling snarled, glaring at Backtrack. The mech didn't say anything, but took another step back. Finally he turned and staggered off, roughly transforming and driving off, energon dripping from his undercarriage.

"Why did you do that!" Ratchet demanded, anger lightening his blue optics. "Orion already saw one mech terminated, he didn't need to see it happen again!"

"Backtrack'll live." Sterling said, still tracking the other mech till even his scanners couldn't pick up the fresh energon. He turned back to Ratchet, but his gaze drifted over to the red and blue youngling. He was trembling, optic fluid pooling in his optics.

"So will the royal." He growled, hate filling his words again. Ratchet slapped his bracer and his burning gaze snapped back over to the apprentice.

"What has gotten into you." Ratchet demanded in a low hiss. "You're acting like a completely different mech then the one I know."

"Then maybe ya don't know meh." Sterling snapped, armor flaring. Ratchet took a step back, optics dropping.

"Alright, be that way." He said after a moment, walking back over to Orion. He crouched down next to him, talking to him quietly when more ID signatures popped up on Sterling's scanners. He was in front of Ratchet ready in case Backtrack called backup before he even realised it.

The dozen black SUV alts that tore down the road was the last thing he wanted to see.

"Sterling those are the Elite Guard!" Ratchet hissed.

"Aw frag." He muttered as the mechs exploded upward into their bipedal forms, very large rifles aimed at his spark. He was suddenly all too aware that his blade was dripping energon, and that two of the planet's most import mechs' creations were behind him.

But at the moment he was too stressed. Every coding in his frame was going wild and the last thing his processor would allow him to do was stand down. The urge to protect his partner, and to terminate the threat, filled his processor as a deep growl started to build in Sterling's chassis.

He was given no warning as the lead mech fired.

He took the shot, knowing that it would have terminated Ratchet had he moved and the EMP blast sent him to his knee bolts, circuits sparking as fire raced over his sensors, threatening to short them out along with every system in his frame.

"Sterling! Wait stop! He didn't do anything!" Ratchet yelled as his vision swam. Somehow he was still conscious, thank Primus, but he couldn't get up. Rough servos grabbed his arms and he collapsed, the side of his helm colliding with the ground as half the mechs dogpiled him. His servos were yanked behind his back, stasis cuffs snapping on and paralysing his arms up to his shoulder joints.

"Both of you need to come with us to safety." A Guard ordered.

"He didn't do anything!" Ratchet repeated and Sterling lifted his helm just enough to see a Guard holding him back, Orion still clinging to his arm. Movement out of the corner of his optic caught his attention and he saw a Guard hand the one that had shot him a small pistol, causally hiding it at his side.

"Ah'm fine." He forced out, his systems still trying to recalibrate after the shock. Black servos grabbed his shoulder guards, yanking him back to his knee bolts and he shot Ratchet a confident smirk as he shifted his weight more comfortably. His attention though, was locked on the mech with the live gun, not just another EMP rifle. He was watching Ratchet with cold blue optics, his servo flexing against the grip of the gun as he waited for them to leave.

Something flew over helm and the Guard's helm snapped up. Sterling followed his line of sight toward the shuttle as it landed. It was a small, sleek thing, one he knew Elites like to travel around in when they were too lazy to drive themselves. The shuttle door slid open and a regal, red and silver mech stormed out.

"Sire!" Orion cried out, bolting from Ratchet side and sprinting toward Sentinel Prime. A look of utter relief crossed the Prime's faceplates before he dropped to one knee bolt, catching his creation as he collided with him.

"Orion, where have you been!" Sentinel demanded, oblivious to everything around him as he stood up, cradling the mechling to his chassis. "I have been worried sick about you!"

"Sire, you have to let him go!" Orion interrupted, bright blue optics darting to Sterling before back to Sentinel. "Sterling rescued us, tell them to let him go, he didn't do anything!"

"What are you talking about?" Sentinel asked, piercing gaze snapping to Sterling, then he noticed Ratchet.

"Ratchet, what are you doing here. What happened?" He demanded.

"Two other mechs grabbed me. They already had Orion, Sterling tracked me down and drove the other two off. He had nothing to do with this." Ratchet replied, his voice far smoother than Sterling figured he felt.

Sentinel turned back to him, piercing gaze boring a hole through him.

"Is this true."

"Ah've got nothin' tah say tah ya while Ah'm cuffed like some criminal waitin' tah be shot." He snarled. He saw Ratchet's optics widen in alarm before he slapped a servo to his fore helm. At the same time the Guard with the gun gave him a simmering look.

"You must be glitched speaking to me like that, _miner_." Sentinel growled, setting Orion back on the ground. But again, still wild coding refused to allow him to back down.

"Ah 'ave taken a few hits tah mah helm." Sterling hissed and Ratchet groaned.

"Sire, please, he didn't do anything wrong." Orion repeated, tugging on the Prime's servo. "It was Backtrack and Recoil. He hit Recoil and he might still be inside."

Sentinel stared at Orion for a nano-klick before two Guards abruptly lowered their weapons, darting around Sterling into the building. A few klicks later they were back.

"There's a mech in here." One of them confirmed.

"Let the miner go." Sentinel commanded.

"But-Sir!" The lead Guard stammered, easily sliding the gun into subspace and staring at Sentinel.

"I said let him go." Sentinel repeated, frosting the mech with a look. After a moment the mech nodded, moving toward Sterling. Sterling growled, easily levering his frame upright and back onto his peds. The Guard's gaze hardened but he didn't say anything as he reaching around Sterling to release the stasis cuffs. Rubbing his servos to get the feeling back in them he leveled his gaze at Sentinel in a deliberately provoking way.

"You just refuse to make things easier for yourself." Sentinel asked, easily holding Sterling's white glare.

"Ah tend not tah." Sterling replied, flared armor only settling slightly now that the gun was gone.

"Let me make your life easier for you then. Name your price." Sentinel offered.

Sterling snorted, only the fact that Ratchet looked like he was about to break every string of medical coding he possessed and strangle him kept him from full out laughing in the Prime's faceplates.

"Ah don't what ya credits Prime." Sterling said, crossing his arms over his chassis confidently.

"You must want something. I owe my creation's life to you. There must be some reward I could offer you." Sentinel continued.

Raw hate surged though his circuits and Sterling barely managed to keep his engine from roaring in anger. It was the worst thing he could have said.

"Keep ya energon stained credits fo' other power 'ungry mechs." Sterling snarled, ignoring the rifles that were leveled at him again or the way Sentinel's gaze turned cold. "Ah didn't rescue ya creation Prime. Ah rescued mah friend and ya creation jus' 'appened tah beh there. Now if ya'll excuse us, Ah need tah finish mah job in makin' sure 'ee gets 'ome safe."

And before he did something stupid like listening to his coding and attacking the Prime right then and there, he turned and stormed away, not even waiting for Ratchet to catch up.

* * *

**I love Sterling. I really do. He's probably my favorite character I've written. (so no touchy! He's mine!) And yes I will explain more about him later after all, there's still a lot about the miners that Ratchet doesn't know. **

**Until next time!**

**I love you guys.**

**R and R!**


	10. Dangerous

**SHE'S ALIVE! THE MUSE IS ALIVE!**

**Eh, kinda sorta... I still had to threaten it to get this far...**

**Anyhoo-! Yes I'm back, no my laptop is not fixed because apparently nothing is wrong with it and it's doing the exact same thing as before, and I'm hoping crossing fingers and all that crap that my inspiration wont die. **

**Really am sorry guys, you have no idea how glad I am to be back.**

**CoolGal02: Here it is, hopefully mostly free of spelling errors...**

**Wolfrunner99-2: Yes, there will be much yelling and throwing of stuff. I cant wait to write that part.**

**TheDarkestCon: Yes he does. Sterling is probably my favorite out of all the OC I have and am going to be making. And about the OC's yes of course, it annoys the crap out of me when people steal things that don't belong to them.**

**Answerthecall: I never thought about it that way. After all, in my 'verse, Megs is set to be the next Prime. That would defiantly make for an interesting chapter.**

**AwkwardDragon: I'm so glad you like it so far. Sorry about having to disappear and all that. Writers block sucks. I got a few good ideas that I've got planned out and yes, lots of drama and stuff being thrown. And our favorite Avalon vs Ratchet moment. But that's still a long time coming up. Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the last ones. **

**DawnfireJazz: Yeah but that will get explained in a bit. Truth be told, its more of the Elite class in general. Orion just happened to be caught in the crossfire. **

**HeartsGuardianSol: I know! Sterling's the best. He'd make a cool guardian. He'd step on people you don't like :D Yes, technology sucks but its my life. *hugs laptop*. Love the names, I got them down on my white board waiting to be fleshed out. Credit goes to you of course. **

**Child of Jon snow: I'm back! I know, that physically hurt I was gone for so long. I hate disappearing like that. **

**Kalanna: For the most part, if you ask permission and give me credit, I don't mind if people use my characters. Some though, like Sterling and Chrome, I'm really attached to and might be a little more hesitant to led them out. They are major characters so far and I'm just a little paranoid that people will accidently write them out of character. **

**Neon: Ugh... I found a book full of stories that I had written in grade... 2? something like that. I've graduated two years ago and I just laughed when I started reading. All I can say, thank goodness for spell check! scary... very scary... Prowl fic is in process, I kinda want to jump back on the MJ bandwagon and I can't BELIVE the work that has to go into a murder mystery, good grief!**

**Thanks guys for sticking with me! You're awesome!**

* * *

_Previous chapter:_

_Sterling snorted, only the fact that Ratchet looked like he was about to break every string of medical coding he possessed and strangle him kept him from full out laughing in the Prime's faceplates. _

_"Ah don't what ya credits Prime." Sterling said, crossing his arms over his chassis confidently._

_"You must want something. I owe my creation's life to you. There must be some reward I could offer you." Sentinel continued._

_Raw hate surged though his circuits and Sterling barely managed to keep his engine from roaring in anger. It was the worst thing he could have said._

_"Keep ya energon stained credits fo' other power 'ungry mechs." Sterling snarled, ignoring the rifles that were leveled at him again or the way Sentinel's gaze turned cold. "Ah didn't rescue ya creation Prime. Ah rescued mah friend and ya creation jus' 'appened tah beh there. Now if ya'll excuse us, Ah need tah finish mah job in makin' sure 'ee gets 'ome safe." _

_And before he did something stupid like listening to his coding and attacking the Prime right then and there, he turned and stormed away, not even waiting for Ratchet to catch up._

* * *

Only about four million thoughts were racing though his processor as Ratchet scrambled to catch up to the long legged stride of Sterling. He could all but feel the rage coming off of the mech and the shocked looks of the Elite Guard as Sentinel let them leave.

"Sterling!" Ratchet finally called out, giving up on keeping up and transforming to race ahead. He skidded to a stop, back in bipedal as the silver mech stormed up. "Sterling we can't leave him, we have to go after Backtrack! He could have severe internal damage-"

The hate filled look that the miner shot at him was enough for Ratchet to cut himself off, watching in numb shock as Sterling transformed and drove off.

"Ya commin' or not!" He demanded and Ratchet lurched forward, dropping into his alt to catch up, following the miner as he confidently led the way to his apartment.

He still had a million things he wanted to ask Sterling, such as what the fraggin pit was wrong with him, but one look at the simmering miner and all he did was mutter a quiet thanks before making a dash for the safety of his apartment.

ooOOoo

"Where the _fraggin _pit have you been?!" Focus all but yelled, bolting up from his place on the couch when Ratchet slunk into the apartment. The yellow mech immediately winced at the other mech's yell of outrage as he shifted his damaged side away from his line of sight.

"The entire city's in an uproar for some slagging reason that nobody knows, you've been missing for two orns while Enforcers are tearing up the street and they all of a sudden you waltz into the apartment out the blue!" Focus yelled, roughly grabbing Ratchet's shoulder guards. "Where the pit have you been?!"

"I've been at Chrome's." Ratchet smoothly lied, hiding a wince at his friend's tight grip. "Sterling got hurt badly and I was helping-"

"And what!" Focus snapped, pale green armor standing on end in anger. "You just decided to _forget to tell me_?!"

"Focus, he was leaking out and it was a mess. I'm sorry."

"I thought you'd been terminated Ratchet!"

"I'm fine, I told you I was-"

"Mechs were being shot Ratchet!"

"What?" Ratchet asked in shock, rearing back in horror as Focus finally released him.

"Enforcers have been crawling around the outer rings for the last cycle. Mechs keep saying they're hearing gunfire and frames keep turning up." Focus said quietly, vents still heaving in distress. "Nobody knows what's going on."

Ratchet felt his armor tuck flat against his frame in submission.

"I didn't know." He lied again, knowing all too well that they had been looking for Orion Pax.

"Yeah, of course you didn't." Focus snapped bitterly. "You're too busy with those monsters to keep up to date on something as stupid as telling your roommate what the frag is going on." He abruptly turned away, stomping toward his room and slamming the door. Ratchet winced at the noise before a quiet whine escaped his engine. He hadn't meant to scare his best friend like that. He had never intended to be in so much danger.

With a sigh and his tanks clenching in guilt he walked toward his own room, quietly sliding the door shut and sinking onto the berth. Immediately claustrophobia kicked in and he was locked in the dark room with Orion.

He lurched toward the door, sliding it open halfway and the trapped feeling subsided. Returning to the berth he found himself up against the wall, legs pulled up to his chassis and his helm resting against the corning of the wall. In the back of his processor he wished that he still had some of the Assemic that Chrome had given him all those cycles ago. He had no doubt that he would not have a peaceful recharge.

ooOOoo

Ratchet onlined with a jolt, optics snapping open in alarm when he heard a crash. Focus's sharp curse immediately followed and Ratchet felt flared armor settle in relief. He wasn't locked up anymore. He was safe.

But then the hate filled look Sterling had shot him crossed his processor and he shuddered. Carefully he eased off the berth. His joints were stiff as he had yet to move from his hunched position in the corner and he hissed in discomfort as his back popped loudly. The noise in the other room died away for a klick before staring up again. With a frown Ratchet finally walked to the door, pushing it open.

Focus was usually quieter in the morning.

And unless the mech was hungover, Ratchet hadn't received such a smouldering look from his roommate in a long time.

Focus didn't even acknowledge him after the initial glare but deliberately turned his back to him, focusing on the packet of white crystals he was stirring into an energon cube. Ratchet watched curiously as Focus picked up the flavored cube, stalking past him before thrusting a datapad into his faceplate, all but dropping the thing as he continued to ignore Ratchet and plopped onto the couch, subspacing another datapad.

"What is this?" Ratchet asked confused, gesturing toward the datapad.

Focus ignored him, obviously still in a bad mood as he flipped on his own datapad. Knowing he wouldn't get anything out of the mech, he turning his attention back to the datapad.

The image was of the familiar black and white frame of an Enforcer. He had his servo in front of the camera, like he was trying to block the shot. But the grey frame of a mech laying a pool of energon was still visible.

Ratchet felt his vents seize as he recognised Backtrack.

"Friend of yours?" Focus asked sourly.

"I… I recognise him yes." Ratchet stammered, studying the datapad closer.

"He and his partner murdered an Elite Guard and kidnapped the Prime's Creation." Focus said, his tone neutral. "The Enforcers said that they had fought and that one had stabbed the other before he shot the first mech."

"What? But how…?" Ratchet stammered, a sense of cold dread flooding his spark. Recoil had been shot? "How'd Orion get away?"

"Apparently he ran when they started fighting. The mech that was stabbed? He went after Orion but didn't even make it half a block before his knife wound got the better of him."

"And they're sure he was stabbed?"

"Why do you ca- oh yeah. You think they're all great." Focus muttered. "Yes he was stabbed. His chassis was torn open apparently."

"I… I need to go." Ratchet stammered abruptly, setting the datapad on the counter.

"Yeah whatever. Not like I was worried about you anyways." Focus huffed as Ratchet slipped out the door.

ooOOoo

Guilt was still gnawing at his spark as he raced for the mine. He had remembered hearing Dusty say that as soon as Sterling was functional he was taking a load and considering the excitement of the past orn, he had no doubt that Sterling would be leaving this orn.

The silver mech in question was standing beside the two open topped trailers, his back to Ratchet as the apprentice came barrelling up the road. He whipped around as Ratchet came to a screeching halt, kicking up dirt.

"Sterling!"

With a smirk the silver miner relaxed, draping an arm over the edge of the trailer.

'"Wha' can Ah do fo' ya Ratch?" He asked with a grin.

"We need to talk!" Ratchet barked, standing and stalking toward the silver miner.

"Oh? Bout what?" Sterling asked, turning back toward the trailer. With an expert flip of the wrist, he tossed the rest of a heavy tarp over the trailer, cinching it tight over the load of valuable crystals.

"About last orn." Ratchet said, watching the miner closely for any kind of reaction.

"Chrome's been worried tha' someone might try tah come aft'a ya." Sterling said with a shrug. "Mah mate works close tah Iacon so when ya didn't show up tah last few orns Ah went tah see if Ah could find ya. Dusty told meh 'ow tah get tah ya place."

"That's not what I mean and you know it." Ratchet growled.

"Enlighten meh."

"Backtrack. He was found terminated this morning." Ratchet said, watching Sterling closely. To his shock the mech smirked before chuckling.

"Ya think ah terminated 'im?" Sterling asked, still smirking. "Ya saw 'im walk away Ratch. 'Ee may 'ave been 'urtin' bu' 'ee was online."

"You should have let me help him!" Ratchet insisted. "You should have let me do my job!"

"Ee made it quite clear tah meh tha' 'ee wanted tah credits 'ee would 'ave gotten fo' ya more than ya skills." Sterling said flatly, his faceplates remaining neutral as he turned to Ratchet for a klick. "Believe it o' not, Ah'm not ah murderer."

"You all but called the Prime one to his faceplates." Ratchet said. Sterling's armor flared, his eerie white optics going hard.

"Tha's exactly wha' tha' mech is." He growled, his engine rumbling. "An' anyone tha' says differen' is jus' as guilty. Ah wouldn' take 'is credits even if Ah was starvin'. Think about it Ratch. Use tha' processor o' yours. Recoil an' Backtrack were both functioning when weh left. Recoil was taken whe' Ah was cuffed on tah ground. Backtrack had transformed an' left. At wha' point would Ah 'ave 'ad tahm tah run 'im down, drag 'im back tah tha' buildin' and cut him open."

"What, you're saying the Guard hunted him down like a turbofox?" Ratchet demanded, his own anger clouding his judgment. "That they dragged him back and executed him? In cold energon?"

"Ow do ya think Recoil ended up terminated. Backtrack didn't shoot 'im and neither did Ah. 'Ee was unconscious when they grabbed in. Who tah frag else would 'ave shot 'im."

Ratchet started at him in shock.

"You hate them that much?" He asked, fear making his voice crack.

"Ya 'ave no idea 'ow much Ah 'ate 'em." Sterling hissed.

"Sterling, what you're saying could get you terminated for treason. You and Carmine. And you don't care at all?"

Sterling paused but remained silent.

"What about what Backtrack said, about selling me and Orion?" Ratchet asked as Sterling continued tying down the tarp.

"Ya earned mah respect Ratchet." Sterling said finally. "Bu' if Backtrack and Recoil 'aden't grabbed ya, Ah would 'ave said good luck an' say hi tah Arachnid fo' meh."

Sterling refused to look at the shocked look on Ratchet's faceplates as he worked his way toward the front of the trailer, strapping the tarp down where he then transformed into his alt mode and backed up under the trailer.

"Let meh make one thing clear Ratch. Until ya've seen ya sire leaking out and ya can't do frag 'bout it 'cause those pit-spawn Elites need someone tah act as bait-metal, then ya can't say frag 'bout mah options on tah Prime. 'Ee and 'is Elites 'ave done nothing tha' would earn mah respect." Sterling said. "If Carbon haden' been there, Ah would 'ave terminated ya and nev'a though twice 'bout it."

It was the simply way that Sterling had said it that chilled Ratchet to his spark as the mech pulled forward. He stared at Sterling as the mech pulled forward, heading toward the road back down the mountain.

"You're so soft Royal."

Ratchet's helm shot up to see Sandstorm standing in the entrance to the mine, a cruel smirk on his lip plates and his red optics filled with malice.

"What do you mean?" Ratchet asked, his voice cracking.

"I know what that mech is capable of." Sandstorm said. "You've seen those blades of his. He could gut a mech if he wanted to. If he wanted Backtrack offline, he sure as frag would have made sure he was offline. Not just leave him to leak out."

"He shouldn't have stabbed him to begin with. He should have let the Enforcers do their job-" Ratchet protested.

"And what." Sandstorm snapped, "Arrested him and toss him in a nice cell, then put him on trial for the kidnapping of the Prime's creation?"

"Well… yeah. I mean… there's a judgment system in place for a reason, nobody's above the law-"

Sandstorm threw back his helm and laughed. It was a cruel mocking sound.

"Would you listen to yourself?" He demanded, sobering in an instant, "Who the frag do you think _made _the laws! When was the last time you saw a working class mech on trial for anything!"

He didn't give Ratchet a chance to answer but kept going.

"There is no judgment system for us! The only judgment we get is whether the Guard with the gun wants us to run so they can shoot us in the back or to get on our knees and get a bullet to the processor."

"That's execution." Ratchet gasped in horror.

"And that's exactly what they did to Backtrack and Recoil." Sandstorm spat. "The Elite Guard are nothing but glorified hit mechs that make mechs that dare to defy the Prime disappear. Sterling's lucky they didn't force him to his knee bolts and put a bullet in his own helm."

"They almost did." Ratchet realised in horror.

"Everything the Guard does is to glorify their all-powerful Prime. After all, Primus forbid word got out that his precious _creation_ was rescued by a _miner._" Sandstorm snarled. "We're disposable _Ratchet!_ We are worth _nothing _to Sentinel! All anyone cares about is how much energon we can get out of the planet before our sparks give out. We have _nothing_ but ourselves! And Sterling risked his life, his_ mate_ for you! We protect each other because that's all we have. And you will _never _understand that."

Ratchet flinched back like he had been struck.

"I didn't mean for this to happen." He said quietly, finally finding his voice. "I didn't know…"

"You don't know a lot of things." Sandstorm sneered, "You're a liability. Copper's been harassing Dusty more because of you. Then you had to go and get yourself grabbed because you didn't know how to keep your helm down and Sterling was late taking a run to Copper because he had to go and find your defenceless aft. You're trying so hard to fit in with us and it's a joke. You don't know anything about us and you never will. You think just because you put Dusty back together and you change your optic color you're one of us. But you're wrong. Again."

With that the miner turned his back on Ratchet, leaving him alone and out in the open. Ratchet shivered, what he had been told still ice cold in his spark before he turned and fled back down the road.

xxXXxx

Dusty carefully drifted over to the side of the road as he saw Sterling come down it, mildly surprised that his SIC had convinced Chrome to allow him to take the run.

"**I'm impressed Sterling. I didn't think Chro-"**

"**Not now Dusty."** Sterling snapped before slamming the comm shut. Dusty nearly hit the ditch it caught him off guard so badly and he stopped half off the road to watch as the silver mech and his load navigated the road with slightly more aggression then usual.

As soon as the mech was around the bend and out of sight, Dusty pulled back onto the road, kicking up dust as he made a beeline toward the mine. He drove inside, subconsciously scanning the beams and supports to make sure everything was stable as he drove into the main cavern. He exploded upward in the middle of the cavern and swept his gaze over the mechs under his command.

"Oi!" He bellowed over the noise of the other miners. Within two nano-klicks all noise had died as everyone turned to him.

"You bellowed?" Axil asked cheerfully, leaning on the edge of the scaffolding.

"Yeah I did. I nearly got run off the road." Dusty growled, noting with satisfaction the way his mechs flared their armor.

"What?! What are you talking about!" Longhaul barked, pulling up behind Dusty and transforming to tower over the shorter mech.

"Who the frag would go after our boss?" Sandstorm demanded angrily, armor standing on end as he approached the edge of the ledge he was standing on.

"We'll beat them to scrap." Ironlock growled, then saw the look in Dusty's optics. "Unless…"

"Would anyone care to tell me," Dusty said in a level tone, sweeping his red gaze over his mechs. "Who the pit fragged off Sterling?!" He yelled.

"Sterling was just here. I saw him not fifteen klicks ago." Carbon said as he pulled into the mine and backed up against the ledge Sandstorm and Scrapper were on. "Why what's wrong?"

"He nearly ran me off the road." Dusty growled, glaring at the massive black mech.

"That would have been your pet royal's fault." Sandstorm said as he dropped to the ground beside Dusty. "He went and fragged Sterling off."

"For Primus sake Sandy, I know you hate the mech-" Dusty groaned, lifting a servo to rub at his nasal ridge.

"Oh give it a break Dusty!" Sandstorm snapped. "He's convinced Sterling off'ed Backtrack."

"And… that would do the job." Scrapper muttered, transforming back into his front-end loader alt and started shovelling scrap into Carbon's box.

"Aw great, now I got to go deal with that." Dusty grumbled darkly, dropping his servo and turning to stalk out of the mine. He heard Sandstorm follow him and knew what was coming when he felt the tan miner's servo on his shoulder guard.

"Why are you even trying Dusty?" Sandstorm asked. "I mean, you've never led us wrong before-"

"And you think that I have?" Dusty interrupted, spinning to face the tan miner and catching him off guard. He kept his tone neutral though, knowing just how on edge the mech had gotten over the last two orns.

"Why do we need him. Ok. Fine. When that fire happened we needed all the fraggin help we could get. But we're back on track. No one's gotten hurt since then and all that royal's done in cause problems." Sandstorm objected. "He nearly got Sterling and Carmine terminated, he's too weak to do any serious work in the mine, not to mention Copper's been harassing you _because_ he's here and now this stupid slag with Backtrack and Recoil."

"Get to the point Sandy." Dusty huffed, still keeping any and all aggression out of his voice.

"Why is he here." Sandstorm demanded. "Better yet, why is he _still _here."

"You'll have to talk to Chrome about that." Dusty said, arms crossed over his chassis. "It's his apprentice.

"But you're the one in charge here. Chrome may boss us all around but you're the one that calls the shots." Sandstorm objected.

"I dare you to tell him that." Dusty said with a chuckle. Sandstorm rolled his optics as well before getting serious again.

"Dusty, I know Sterling activated some kind of hunter coding to find him." He said quietly. Dusty went rigid in alarm, optics sharpening on the tan mech.

"How do you know about that." He demanded hotly.

"I've seen mechs like that before Dusty. I've been bounced around all my life remember?" Sandy growled. "I know what a mech with hunter coding looks like! I've seen what happened to them!"

"He told me he shut that down." Dusty hissed, anger flooding his lines.

"I asked him about it."

"You did what?!"

"I had to know what was going on. You didn't see him this morning!" Sandy objected. "He said he only activated it to find that royal. He said it was dormant but he was lying though his denta."

"I'm gonna throttle that mech." Dusty snarled, clenching his servos.

"And what are you going to do about the royal?" Sandstorm asked.

"He hasn't done anything intentional to hurt us." Dusty said, forcing himself to relax.

"So what, you just want me to sit back and wait for him to mess up?" Sandstorm demanded.

"If that's what it takes."

"You _trust _him?!"

"Yes as a matter of fact I do." Dusty replied, holding the mech's glare in a non-threatening, but not backing down, way. "He's shown no reason why we shouldn't trust him. He's trying Sandy. And that's a pit of a lot better than a lot of mechs I've had to deal with have ever given me."

Sandstorm flinched, dropping his optics at the not so subtle reminder of his first cycles having to take orders from the small red mech.

"Just give him a chance." Dusty said finally, exventing with a deep sight. "That's all I'm asking. I don't expect you to like him but for Primus sake just give him a chance. I have to go deal with that silver pit spawn and I don't want to have to deal with you harassing Ratchet. Alright?"

Sandstorm was still avoiding his gaze but his armor had started to settle.

"Alright?" Dusty prodded.

"Alright. But I don't like it. I don't like it at all." The tan mech finally growled, dark optics darting to catch Dusty's before falling again in a sign of submission.

"Never asked you to." Dusty said by way of final before he turned and walked away, leaving Sandstorm behind. A slitting processor ache was staring to build in the back of his helm and he hissed lowly under his breath. Darting a quick glance over his shoulder guard he saw Sandy walking back to the mine.

"Think that hard and your processor will explode."

Dusty jumped a good three feet into the air, whipping around to come faceplate to grill with Carbon.

"How the fraggin _pit _do you manage to do that!" He gasped, servo clutching his chassis as he heaved for air and his spark threatening to hammer its way out of his chassis.

"You got a lot on your processor. It's easy to sneak up on someone who's that distracted."

"Ya think!? I mean… yes. Fraggit yes." Dusty growled, stalking around the massive dump truck. "I have Sandstorm wanting to wring Ratchet's neck and Sterling-"

He cut himself off with a growl.

"I'm going to wring Sterling's miserable neck myself." He muttered. A low rumble sounded behind him and he heard the crunch of massive tires on gravel as Carbon turned to follow him.

"What'd he do this time?" Carbon asked, the heat coming off his engine hot on the back of Dusty's plating.

"Something really really stupid. Even for him."

"Must be bad if it's got you this mad."

Dusty paused only to glare at the dump truck before stopping and exventing a gust of air.

"How do I stay sane in this crack-show?" He asked the black mech. Carbon shifted on his axils in an obvious shrug.

"Didn't know you were sane."

Dusty glared at the mech again.

"Don't you have work to do?" He growled. Carbon chuckled before letting his engine roar to full power. The noise nearly deafened Dusty as the mech backed up and drove off. Dusty watched him go, his audios ringing. He shook his helm sharply, hoping to get rid of the ringing before he also folded down into his alt mode, heading toward the medbay.

xxXXxx

Chrome's helm shot up when the medbay doors slid open only for him to bolt to his peds fast enough that he almost knocked his chair over.

"Ratchet?!" He stammered in shock as the apprentice slunk into the 'bay. He flinched at his designation, finally turning to face Chrome but his optics were on the ground. His armor was clamped uncomfortably tight against his frame and he looked like he was about to bolt.

"Ratchet?" He repeated in a calmer tone, taking a step forward. To his confusion Ratchet took a step back in what Chrome would almost call fear. He immediately froze.

"Would they have shot Sterling?" Ratchet asked in a near whisper. Chrome stiffened, his armor flaring in alarm.

"What?"

"The Elite Guard. Would they have shot Sterling in cold energon?" Ratchet repeated, his blue optics lifting just enough to watch Chrome.

"What…? They… they have before… wait, what about Sterling?" Chrome stammered, his processor spinning in confusion. "Ratchet, what happened!"

"I almost got him shot because I can't even watch out for myself." He hissed, his servos clenching at his sides in anger.

"What are you talking about, Sterling's more than capable of handling-"

"They grabbed me as well!" Ratchet blurted.

"Backtrack?!"

"Recoil ran me off the road. I… I was drugged but not before Backtrack said he recognised me from the Black Market." Ratchet explained. "Sterling found us just as Recoil was trying to move us to a different place. He knocked Recoil unconscious. But he stabbed Backtrack." Ratchet forced out.

Chrome remained silent.

"Backtrack took off and the Guard came. They grabbed Sterling and-"

Ratchet cut himself off, clamping his mouth shut and trembling.

"Would… would they have shot him?" he asked again.

"Yeah." Chrome replied grimly. "Yeah they would have. Probably the only reason they didn't was because you and Orion were right there."

"What have I done?"

It was hissed so quietly that Chrome almost missed it.

"Ratchet you had no way-" Chrome started to say before Ratchet's optics suddenly shot up to meet his. Burning, pain filled golden optics started back at his green ones and he flinched at the piercing gaze.

"He said he would have terminated me and never though twice about it."

Chrome took a step back in shock as Ratchet's sudden anger and accusing gaze pinned him in place. All of a sudden he was standing in front of Avalon and a surge of fear rocked him to his core. How the mech had even walked into his medbay and he didn't recognised Ratchet for who his sire was was beyond him.

They had the same, burning glare.

"My entire life I've been told that you're nothing but thieves, liars and murders." Ratchet hissed. "That you can't be trusted. That you'll stab me in the back as soon as look at me and that you're nothing but primitive savages."

"And you're right." Chrome replied levelly, cutting off the other mech.

This time it was Ratchet that jerked back in clear surprise as his optics turned blue again.

"We are dangerous. And don't ever forget that." Chrome repeated, holding Ratchet's suddenly submissive gaze. "Why are you so surprised to hear that?"

"I just want someone to tell me the truth." Ratchet said murmured.

"That we're the submissive work drones the Council wants us to be? Or the dangerous, fully capable mechs they _know_ us to be." Chrome asked, careful to keep the aggression out of his voice and EM field. "We are dangerous but you're one of us Ratchet. We're this way because the Council and their laws have forced us to be this way."

Ratchet still didn't look convinced though and Chrome exvented in a deep sigh, taking another step back to lean up against the door frame. It gave Ratchet even more personal space and to his relief he felt Ratchet's EM field flare just a little.

"Ratchet, most of us can't even read or write for Primus' sake." He said finally, talking more to the floor then the apprentice.

The simple comment cause Ratchet to skip a vent in shock.

"What…?"

"Who would have taught us?" Chrome asked. "The only thing the Council sees us as is raw labour. And there for we don't need an education, rights, anything that everyone else takes for granted. I know how to read and write because Beamer taught me and what little my sire knew. Sterling's lucky, he learnt a bit while he was still in Straxis. But Dusty's didn't even know how to spell his designation before he met his mate. Azure taught his everything he knows but she doesn't have time to give Reading and Writing 101 lessons to a dozen mechs that have never even held a stylus in their servos."

"Is that part of the reason Sandstorm hates me so much, because I have an education?" Ratchet asked.

"Sure doesn't help. It's just another example of how the Council is trying to control us. Axil's a fraggin technical genius and he's never looked at a datapad in his life. He's got the potential to be designing and building things that we think are only myth and legends. Ground Bridges Ratchet! Just think! Axil could be designing Ground, pit, _Space _Bridges if they would just give him a chance." Chrome stressed.

"And that's just one mech. One mech that has the potential to change a planet. What about Carbon? Or Ironlock? Or Sandstorm? Or any of us? We're a threat to the Council and they know it." Chrome continued, his voice rising in determination. "We're underground all our lives. We know the ground, this very planet, better than the mechs that run it. We know every strength, every weakness and how to exploit it. But what if we started tunneling under Iacon? I'll tell you right now, we could do it. There are more than enough mining gangs around Iacon that if we banded together, had someone lead us, we could collapse the Towers into a massive sinkhole and there would be nothing left but twisted debris."

Chrome paused, his shoulder guards slumping in defeat.

"But a project that big involves calculations." He said quietly, bringing a servo up to examine the gouges and scrapes that cover it. "Numbers and equations that we could never hope to understand. That's why the gangs are so small," He glanced up at Ratchet. "Why they work us so hard, why they threaten to take everything away. Because we scare them. You walked into a dangerous power struggle when you walked into my medbay Ratchet. But you knew that we were dangerous. So no you haven't been lied to you entire life. Yes, about some things. But about us? No. Every word the Council fed you is the truth. We're thieves because half of us are starving. We're liars because we're desperate."

Chrome curled his servo into a fist, vibrant green optics sliding to Ratchet's confidently.

"And we fight, and yes terminate, because our friends and family are all we have and if someone threatens them, we'll fight back. Because if there was someone strong enough to lead us, we would have the strength to bring Cybertron and it's Council to its knees."

* * *

**I absolutely loved the ending of this chapter. I rewrote it three times, and this one I love. It is the first time I blatantly said that there could be war. It just sends a shiver down my back. **

**so I don't know when the next chapter will go up, I'm almost done it but I desperately need to bet that bit of padding between the last posted chapter and where I currently am. I hate only having one buffer chapter. I like to tweak things way to much for that to be healthy. **

**Anyways, just wanted to post this so that you'd guys know I'm not dead. **

**Read and Review and ill try and get the next chapter up in a week. **

**See ya!**


	11. Rage

**Hey-oh! I'm back better then before!**

**yeah that's debatable... **

**but yes I'm back with another chapter. Sorry, but writers block has a strangle hold on my brain and I could not get this chapter to run smoothly. But, I think I got it, so here we go. **

**Best part is, I'm finely back on my original plotline (I think) so some things after this chapter might start sounding familiar to those who've already read the original. I might, I dunno.**

**On a random side note, I was reading the latest's IDW Robots in Disguise and seriously only now I realised that Prowl doesn't have any doorwings. I then proceeded to go back to he first issue and he doesn't have them there either... and now I feel like an idiot that I never realised that...**

**Anyway!**

**(dangit, forgot to save and lost all my responses...)**

**KayleeChiara: I'm glad you like it so far. Truth is, all I knew about optic color was that blue was Autobot and red was deception. I picked up just about everything else, (white/green and how it fits into the caste system) from reading FF. I honestly have no idea where I even heard it originally. **

**Clumsy Peg: I'm so glad you took the time to review, I absolutely love getting them. I hope the rest of the story is up to your standards. **

**Coolgal02: Sandstorm would receive the biggest dent possible to his helm if Chrome doesn't take the thing clean off. Scary medic. Now you know where Ratchet gets it from. And there's more drama is this chapter! woo hoo!**

**Child of Jon snow: Yes I back, hopefully for a while. Thanks for the pokes. **

**Wolfrunner99-2: First off, wow. Secondly, awww I feel all fluffy now. This is why I love getting reviews they make me feel all bubbly inside. I've always wanted to write a fic from the medics POV (I absolutely love MASH) and I've always wanted to do an origins fic so I ended up doing both. Trust me, I want to do another origins for a deception but I already have WAY to much on my plate. I have GOT to finish this massive beast in the works first before I even think about letting my brain get started on another one. **

**HeartsGuardianSol: That's why I like re-writing stuff. You remember all the stuff your originally forgot and can make it a million times better. Writers block is worse though but that's a small price to pay for an obsession...**

**Emliz: Yes I'm back hopefully for a while. And yes I will defiantly go back and fix that, thanks for the feed back. **

**TheDarkestCon: Yes, that is probably one of my favorite lines as of yet. Just a reminder to people who Ratchet really is and how that's gonna royally (pardon the pun) screw everyone up. In a bad (heh heh) way, I actually want this to be a lot darker then I originally planned. After all, if something is so bad that an entire planet is overrun with civil war, it has to be bad. And yes! Found my muse! It was hiding under the bed with the dust bunnies. I think they were holding it hostage. Evil things then bust bunnies. They eat your socks. **

**Answerthecall: (could never spell Answer to save my life, then I keep responding to all your reviews and what my mom couldn't teach me in my entire life, I figure out in two off of a pen name on fanfiction...) I'm so glad you like it so far, heck I'm glad you stills tick with me during these dry periods. I know not everyone does when someone disappears for two months...**

* * *

Dusty walked into the medbay to see Chrome sitting at his desk, elbow joint propped up on the desktop, stylus held loosely in servo, and half a dozen datapads strewn across the desktop. Ratchet was standing by the counters, rearranging tools of some kind and Dusty turned his attention back to Chrome, a frown on his faceplates. He could all but feel the tension in the air. Settling his slightly flared armor at the cold atmosphere in the medbay, he knocked on the doorframe to Chrome's office.

"We got a problem." He said by way of greeting as Chrome looked up at him.

"Oh?"

"Did you see Sterling this morning?" Dusty asked, taking a step into the office.

"I saw him, yes. Did a quick systems check before having to agree that he was well enough to go on a road trip." Chrome replied, spinning the stylus in his servo as he leaned back in his chair, turning to fully face Dusty. "I've banned him from any bipedal work though. Last thing I want him to do is wreck those joints."

"Did you notice anything off about him?"

"He seemed jumpier than usual but I figured that was because he was paranoid that I wouldn't let him leave." Chrome said. "Why?"

"Because Sandy says that Sterling activated his hunter coding."

The stylus snapped.

"_What?!"_ Chrome hissed in sudden anger as he stood, looming over the smaller mech.

Dusty reached behind himself to slide the office door closed before refocusing on Chrome.

"Apparently he activated it to find Ratchet last orn." Dusty continued.

"That spawn of a glitch!" Chrome spat. "I told him to find Ratchet, I didn't tell him to do it _that _way!"

"Apparently he said it was dormant again-"

"I locked that coding down myself!" Chrome interrupted, armor standing on edge and the broken stylus still in his tight grasp. "He should never have been able to access it!"

Dusty remained silent, knowing just how bad this was. Sandstorm was right. While he had had the luck of never knowing what Sterling had been like before Chrome blocked the coding, he had heard enough horror stories about hunter coding to know that his SIC was now a dangerous threat to all of them.

"That coding won't stay dormant." Chrome growled. "And I don't know if I can even _get _it dormant again. Those firewalls I used I got off of Arachnid. He _should not _have been able to activate it!"

"Well now what?" Dusty asked.

"I don't know." Chrome admitted, sinking back into his chair. "I don't know. I might be able to talk to someone but… I don't know. There's nothing we can do now if he's on a run, only hope that nothing sets him off. That mech's a fraggin time bomb now."

"What will that coding do to him." Dusty asked. "I've heard stories of it but the mechs are all terminated by now."

"No," Chrome corrected quietly. "There are others but…. Between most terminating during the installation processes, their fraggin jobs, and then- then- being _recalled!_"

With a snarl he slammed his servo onto his desk, shattering a datapad that happened to be in the wrong place.

"Calm down before you blow a fuse." Dusty ordered, arms crossed over his chassis as he watched the old medic.

"Like frag I'll calm down." Chrome hissed but his armor had started to relax again as he examined the shard of glass imbedded in the side of his servo.

"We'll deal with Sterling when he gets back. You'll figure something out, you always do." Dusty assured him. "Until then… yeah, we hope nothing scares him and makes him glitch."

Chrome snorted as he pulled the shard out, a few drops of energon clinging to the sharp edge.

"I wish it were that easy." He muttered before turning and pointing the energon coated shard at Dusty. "Because Sterling could do a pit load of damage before someone shoots him."

"Well, we just hope it doesn't get to that point. He's a strong mech Chrome. He survived with that coding in his processor for this long, hopefully it will take a lot to make him lose it."

"We got a lot of hoping coming up." Chrome grumbled as he subspaced the shard of glass.

"All part of the job." Dusty replied with a shrug.

"Yeah I'll talk to Arachnid. See if she's got something stronger." Chrome said after a moment.

"Good." Dusty replied before sliding the door open and sticking his helm out.

"Eh Ratchet! Come fix Chrome's servo would ya?" He called and received a growl from Chrome. But the apprentice didn't respond. In confusion Dusty walked out of the office, optics scanning the now empty medbay.

"Ratchet?"

xxXXxx

"-_Recall!"_

The sudden snarl was immediately followed by a crash from Chrome's office. Ratchet jumped, spinning to shoot a look at the office as he saw Chrome delicately lift his fisted servo from the screen of a shattered datapad. Dusty was leaning against the doorframe, frowning as he said something to Chrome. Whatever it was seemed to calm the medic down and Ratchet relaxed a little and allowed his processor to drift.

_Most of us can't even read or write… _

He'd been horrified when he saw the Elite Guard, who he'd been taught was there to protect the Prime from dangerous mechs like Chrome and the others, had nearly executed a mech that he called a friend in cold energon right in front of him. When he'd found out about Backtrack and Recoil terminated, again by the mechs he'd been taught to trust, it had scared him.

All of a sudden he didn't know who to trust and who was telling the truth.

But then what Chrome had said, about the Council using basic rights like an education to control them and everything made more sense. Sterling's near suicidal anger at the Prime and Sandstorm's hostility toward him were because they had had their rights taken away. They were treated no better than… than…

_Slaves._

The word had been stuck on repeat ever since he had seen what the Declorians did to the other organic, worse since he almost ended up as one. He's lived a sheltered life and now he was in the thick of things. And he wasn't so sure he wanted to be there.

But then Axil's almost pleasant attitude toward him, Chrome teaching him and even Carbon standing up for him stuck out in his processor and he paused again. Sandstorm and Chrome had said that all they had were friends and family. And some didn't even have that.

Sterling had risked his life and his mate for him.

Dusty was taking his own time to teach him about their livelihood.

Chrome was fraggin mentoring him.

They had all given their time and effort for him and he had nothing he could give them back that would mean something to them. Sterling had refused payment form the Prime because it meant nothing to him because… because it wasn't what was important. Trust, friendship and family where all that mattered to them.

And time….

Ratchet paused in his work, before setting the tools aside and turning toward the medbay doors. A stay thought crossed his processor and he seized it. Casting a glance back at the office to see Dusty and Chrome still talking, he walked toward the doors and left the medbay.

xxXXxx

Sandstorm wasn't in a bad mood. Not really. In fact, he hadn't felt that good in a long time. He hoped that after what Sterling had said, then his own words, had finally driven that bright yellow royal off their mountain and back into his precious Inner Rings.

"What's got you in such a good mood?" Scrapper asked, causally shoving the tan miner.

"What makes you say I'm in a good mood?" He demanded, but a slight smirk crossed his lip plates.

"That's what." Scrapper countered, jabbing a digit in the tan miners' direction. "The last time you smirked like that, the Royal disappeared for two orns."

"He might have disappeared permanently now." Sandstorm said, his smirk turning to a grin as he leaned on the handle of his pickaxe.

"Sandy!" Axil objected hotly, tossing a small shard of metal at the miner. He was rewarded with a glare and the shard chucked back at his helm. He just managed to duck it and it sailed harmlessly by.

"Why'd you run him off?" Axil continued, leaning over the railing to glare at Sandstorm. "He was a good mech. For a royal."

"That's why!" Sandstorm snapped. "Because he's a royal. He doesn't belong up here. So… after his little 'chat' with Sterling, I just added my own two credits." He added with a huff.

"What'd you say to him?" Scrapper asked, walking over to the scaffolding and transforming as Carbon pulled in.

"Just a few facts."

"Like…?" Axil prodded, his attention on Scrapper though as the front end loader started pushing the gathered scrap pile into the back of Carbon's box as the big dump truck backed up to the ledge.

Sandstorm shook his helm, shooting a deliberate glance at Carbon and Axil made a show of rolling his optics.

After fifteen klicks, Scrapper transformed again and Carbon pulled out.

"You were saying?" Scrapped asked.

"I told him that his Prime ain't as perfect as he wants to believe. I told him what the Elite Guard really are. I don't think he took it too well." Sandstorm said with a shrug.

"And you think that drove him off?"

"He nearly got Sterling terminated Scrapper, I think what little confidence that royal had is somewhere with the drillers. Extinct."

Axil suddenly stiffened, his attention drifting toward the mine entrance.

"I think you're wrong about that."

"Bout what?" Sandstorm asked confused.

"Sterling doesn't think the drillers are all terminated." He said with a grin.

"Yeah so? The mech's a bit of a nutcase. What does that have to do with the royal?"

"Because he just walked in." Axil said, openly grinning by now as he clambered down the scaffolding.

"Oh for the love of- he's in here?!" Sandstorm demanded.

"And alone." Scrapped added before he moved off toward a no doubt safer place.

"Alone huh…" Sandstorm purred, standing up straight and easily holding the pickaxe at his side. Axil saw him and his armor flared in warning.

"Sandy don't even think about it." He said, watching the tan miner.

"Bout what?" Sandstorm asked causally, optics darting to where he could see the sleek yellow helm. He raised his pickaxe, gently holding the handle as though he were going to throw the tool-

"That!" Axil objected, lunging forward to force Sandstorm's bracer down. "Think for Primus sake! Sterling nearly got shot last orn!"

With a carefree shrug Sandstorm finally turned before brutal driving the tip of the pickaxe into the metal behind him. The metal cracked off and he sidestepped the chuck before turning back to Axil.

"You helping me or not." He demanded, shouldering the pickaxe to drive it into the metal again. Just above his helm, the energon crystal he was trying to get out trembled.

"Yeah yeah yeah." Axil huffed but he walked over to hold up the tip of the crystal

"Ratchet, surprised to see you in here alone. Something wrong?" Axil asked abruptly and Sandstorm turned his helm just enough to the yellow mech standing at the base of the ledge.

"No, nothing's wrong." Ratchet replied as with a few more taps from Sandstorm the crystal broke off entirely.

"What can we do for you then?" Axil asked as they shoulder the crystal better.

"Actually I wanted to talk to Sandstorm."

"What makes you think I'm going to listen." Sandstorm asked gruffly and Axil glared at him before lowering the crystal to the ground.

"I want you to teach me to defend myself."

Sandstorm straightened in shock, his grip on the crystal slipping. Axil yelped in pain as his servos were pinned under the heavy crystal and he yanked them free.

"Could have warned me you were going to do that!" He snapped, shaking his servos to try and get the feeling back into them.

"What do you mean you want me to teach you to fight." Sandstorm demanded, walking to the edge of the ledge he was on and looming over the much smaller mech. To his surprise, and true to what Dusty had told him, the yellow mech didn't back down but held his red glare with confident blue ones.

"You said yourself that I'm a liability. That because I couldn't defend myself, Sterling risked his life and his mate for me." Ratchet said. "And I don't want that to happen again."

Sandstorm abruptly jumped down from the ledge and Ratchet stumbled back.

"What makes you think you even stand a chance against anyone of us." He demanded.

"I don't want to be a liability." Ratchet repeated.

"Really?" Sandstorm asked. "Then go home."

"Sandy-" Axil objected as Sandstorm turned his back on Ratchet.

"No." He snapped, glaring up at Axil. "He wants to be useful, then he can leave."

"I can teach you." Ratchet said quietly and Sandstorm went rigid.

"What?" Axil asked in confusion.

"To read." Ratchet said. "And to write. I can teach you how."

"You'd…." Axil stammered in shock. "You'd… do that…?"

"And just what makes you think we'd want that?" Sandstorm spat, slowly turning back to face Ratchet and Dusty words above giving the mech a chance forgotten in his sudden anger.

He didn't respond but again he held his gaze.

"What in _pit_ makes you think that we would want you to teach us anything!" He snarled, slowly circling Ratchet. "Why the _frag_ do you think that would change _anything_!"

"Sandy listen to him!" Axil demanded. "For Primus sake to be able to _read?! To learn?!_"

"And just what would that change!" Sandstorm spat, still circling the young medic. "Teach us to read? And what! We're in your debt?"

Sandstorm lunged, grabbing Ratchet by the throat and pinning him up against the ledge.

"Sandy! What are you-!" Axil hissed, optics darting around in alarm as Ratchet grabbed his bracer in a near panic.

"Think _medic_." Sandstorm growled, keeping his grip loose even though the thought of crushing the mech's throat was far too tempting. "How long does it take a mech to lose consciousness?"

"Four- four nano-klicks." Ratchet gasped out, clinging to his bracer.

"Then you'd already be terminated." Sandstorm snarled before realising his grip, dropping Ratchet and backing off. He sucked in a vent full of air, rubbing at his throat cables but he stood up.

"Then how do I break out of that." He asked and Sandstorm straightened in shock.

"Well Sandy?" Axil snapped. "You think he's so useless, then teach him."

His gaze snapped to the dark grey miner and he was surprised at the aggressive look in the usually cheerful miner's posture.

"And don't terminate him in the process." He added before he crossed his arms over his chassis as though daring Sandstorm to tell him to back off.

"Inside of the wrist, just before the joint." He growled, holding Axil's challenging glare but speaking to Ratchet. He slid his gaze to the yellow mech to see him watching him intently. "Those wires, and I don't give a frag what the technical medical slag is for them, all I know is that they hurt when you dig a claw into them."

Ratchet nodded as Sandstorm started to pace back and forth in a predatory style. He ignored the way Axil once against flared his armor in warning.

"Of course, I could just snap that scrawny neck of yours." Sandstorm continued with a dangerous grin, slowly creeping closer. "The trick is to not get caught."

Again he lunged at Ratchet and the smaller mech scrambled out of the way. Sandstorm lashed an arm out, once against snagging Ratchet and slamming him up against the wall. This time he applied more pressure as Ratchet once against grabbed his bracer. In the next nano-klick though a sharp stab of pain shot up his arm from his wrist and he released Ratchet again with a hiss of pain. The medic collapsed in a heap, gasping for air again even as Sandstorm shook his arm, trying to get rid of the tingly feeling.

"Nice!" Axil praised, crouching at the edge of the ledge again and balancing himself on his servo. "That's the easiest way to get someone to drop you if they got you pinned like that. If you actallly had claws though, well, I don't think he'd be able to use his arm."

"Are you all right, Primus I didn't mean to do it that hard." Ratchet stammered, all his attention on Sandstorm still rubbing his wrist joint and completely ignoring Axil.

"That's what you have to do Royal." Sandstorm growled, glaring at the medic and refusing to admit that he was even the tiniest bit impressed. "You don't need to terminate someone to get them to let you go. But don't get caught in the first place."

Again he lunged for Ratchet and this time the medic ducked, just managing to scramble out of range.

"Watch me!" Sandstorm spat, "Figure out where I'm going and move!"

He dove at Ratchet again and this time the young mech easily avoided him, ducking under his arm and getting behind him. Sandstorm spun fast, his fisted servo just catching Ratchet's side and sending the mech tumbling to the ground a few feet away. Sandstorm paused with a smirk, thinking that the blow would have hurt enough that he would back off but Ratchet stood up again.

"Different frames move in different ways." Axil spoke up. "Sandstorm's bulkier then me so while he's slower then me-"

"Hey!"

"-he's stronger. Figure out how we move. Like he said, you don't stand a chance in a physical fight so use your size and speed to get under his attacks and stay out of reach."

Ratchet nodded before focusing on Sandstorm again. The miner refused to show his surprise but made a lunge for the mech again. This time the yellow mech dodged the blow and when Sandstorm spun he was already out of reach. The mech was actually learning, and learning fast. He feigned going to the left and when Ratchet dove out the way he grabbed him, again pinning him against the wall but this time he didn't hold back his strength. Immediately Ratchet stabbed his digit up into Sandstorm's wrist and the sharp pain once against forced him to drop the medic.

Axil's yell of warning came too late and he spun around only to have Dusty grab his collar strut and slam a fisted servo directly into his jaw.

xxXXxx

Ratchet watched in dumb shock as Dusty exploded up in his altmode from seemingly out of nowhere. In one smooth motion he had grabbed Sandstorm's collar strut, pulling his frame up the tan miner's and decked him.

Sandstorm stumbled back in shock as Dust let himself drop back to the ground, his faceplates twisted into a furious snarl and energon beading his fist.

"Ratchet, are you alright!" Chrome demanded, dropping to his knee bolts beside the apprentice.

"I'm fine, I started it." Ratchet stammered, scrambling to his peds as Dusty took another step toward Sandstorm.

"The fraggin _pit_ is wrong with you!" He roared, his armor standing on end and his optics blazing in anger. "I turn my back on you for half a joor and-!"

"Dusty!-"

"Stay out of this!" He spat, spinning on Axil with a vengeance and jabbing a digit up at the dark grey miner. "You of all mechs I thought I could trust! All of you!"

Ratchet was suddenly aware of Scrapper, Longhual and Ironlock flinching away from the furious mech.

"Dusty it was my fault!" He yelled and the red mech spun on him.

"What?" He hissed dangerously.

"I told him too." He repeated, shoving off Chrome's servo and walking to face Dusty. "I told him I wanted to teach me to defend myself."

"So you asked _him?!_" Dusty yelled, jabbing a digit at Sandstorm. The mech snarled, red optics flashing in anger. "Ratchet, what the frag were you thinking!"

"I made my own choice!" Ratchet objected.

"One that nearly got you terminated." Chrome snapped. "Now get your aft back to the medbay so I can fix your side. You've gone and torn open lines."

Ratchet glanced down, surprised to a few fresh drops of energon against his plating. They must have happened when Sandstorm smacked him. He was far too aware that the mech had been holding back.

"Git." Chrome snarled, none-to-gently shoving Ratchet toward the mine entrance. He felt embarrassed by Chrome's aggressive manner and all it did was reinforce what Sandstorm said.

"No." He said, digging in his heels and coming to a stop.

"What-"

"No. I said I wanted him to teach me how to defend myself. I'm sick of everyone else having to look after me." He insisted.

"Then you get someone that doesn't want to rip you apart to do it." Chrome spat, once against shoving Ratchet forward and all but dragging him from the mine.

ooOOoo

"You." Chrome growled, jabbing a digit at the examination table. "Sit. Now."

His systems still racing from his confrontation with Sandstorm, he did as told, his armor tight against his frame.

"Relax already. I can't work with you so tense." Chrome snapped and Ratchet forced his frame to loosen.

"Now what the frag were you thinking getting into a fight with Sandy like that!" Chrome demanded as he took a wet rag and started cleaning off the dried energon. Ratchet winced at the aggressive treatment but took it, knowing full well that the medic was furious at him.

"I knew what I was doing." He said.

"Right. Provoking the mech that wants nothing more than to string you up by your ankle joints and beat you into next cycle!" Chrome snapped.

Ratchet didn't respond, knowing that he had pushed his luck too far and that it might have just run out.

"Don't ever do that again. You want someone to teach you, you get Dusty or Ster- scratch that. You get anyone _but_ Sandstorm and Sterling to do it. Is that clear?"

Ratchet didn't respond.

"Ratchet!" Chrome snapped when he didn't respond.

"Yessir." He muttered as Chrome came back with a roll of thin templating.

ooOOoo

"Protoform's already repaired itself, just a few surface lines were torn. I may have over reacted a little." Chrome confessed half a joor later when he started putting his tools away.

"Aw, I didn't know you cared." Ratchet purred, twisting to look at the small neat welds that spider-webbed across his side. He was soundly smacked in the back of the helm and he gave Chrome a cheeky smile as he met his mentor's gaze. He picked up the wrench that had been tossed at him, skillfully spinning the tool around his digits.

"I do. Which is why if you _ever _do something as glitched as that again, I will _personally _lock you in the medbay and never let you out of my sight again."

"Yessir." Ratchet replied. The medic nodded in acceptance before turning back to the counter. The medic distracted, Ratchet slid off the table, setting the wrench on the surface.

"Now where are you going!" Chrome demanded, spinning around.

"I need to finish something." Ratchet replied, glancing over his shoulder guard to see Chrome glaring at him.

"I swear to Primus if you-"

"I'm not doing anything glitched." Ratchet promised, giving Chrome a smirk before he walked outside.

ooOOoo

Ratchet didn't enter the mine, but stopped just before the entrance.

"**Dusty?"**

"**This had better be good Royal."** Dusty growled and Ratchet fought the urge to shiver.

"**I need to talk to you. Please?"** He asked.

Dusty didn't respond but the comm remained open. It abruptly shut just as the red mech drove out of the mine, transforming smoothly to his bipedal form and crossing his arms over his chassis. His armor was standing on edge, a challenging edge in his flared EM field.

"What." He barked.

"I need to apologize." Ratchet said, just barely managing to hold the miner's burning red optics. "I provoked Sandstorm. I told him-"

"You wanted him to teach you how to defend yourself. He told me." Dusty interrupted hotly. "Why him."

"Because everyone thinks I'm weak." Ratchet explained. "I knew that Sandstorm would want to prove to me that I didn't stand a chance and that he wouldn't hold back. He was right, if he wanted me offline he could have but he didn't."

"So what are you saying."

"That you shouldn't have hit him." Ratchet confessed.

"He should never have attacked you, whether or not you provoked him."

"I shouldn't have provoked him in the first place." Ratchet countered. "But I did and I knew what he would do. Dusty, you have to admit you would hold back on me because you'd be afraid of hurting me."

"And with good reason. You're not exactly built for physical work."

"Exactly. Sandstorm wants me gone and the easiest way is to prove that I can't even protect myself. Dusty, Sterling nearly terminated because of me!"

"That wasn't your fault Ratchet and don't you _dare_ start blaming yourself." Dusty growled.

"But I do. And I don't want it to happen again." Ratchet said. "Dusty I _want _to do this and Sandstorm was only doing what I asked."

Dusty continued to glare at him for a few nano-klicks and Ratchet fought the urge to squire under his smoldering glare.

"So you're saying that I owe him an apology." He finally said.

"And Axil. He didn't do anything. He objected to it right off the start." Ratchet continued. "He really does look out for me."

"Then he should have stepped in."

"He didn't because I told him not to."

Dusty exvented with a sigh, letting his posture relax a bit.

"They were both just doing what I asked them to." Ratchet said quietly.

"You're not going to let this go are you?" Dusty asked.

"No." Ratchet replied firmly. Dusty finally stood down, dropping his servos and pulling back his EM field.

"Very well." He said after a moment, turning and about to head back into the mine.

"Oh, Dusty."

The red mech turned back to Ratchet as he took a step forward.

"Could you tell Axil and Sandstorm I want to see them at the medbay tomorrow morning?"

"Why…?" Dusty asked hesitantly.

"I just…just need to finish what I started." Ratchet replied.

Dusty nodded slowly before he turned his back on Ratchet and walked back into the mine.

xxXXxx

Axil was certain that his audios were still smouldering from Dusty's furious words.

"_You of all mechs I thought I could trust!"_

Not only had Dusty been furious with the others for even letting it get to that point, but he had been especially furious with Sandstorm and Axil.

Sandstorm for nearly terminating one of _their_ gang members.

And Axil….

"_You told me yourself that you liked him!"_ _Dusty yelled. "So what in pit were you thinking not stepping in! Everyone's shown him hostility and I thought that I could at least turn my back on you and not have to worry about you off'ing the royal!'_

"_Dusty-"_

"_Don't. Just shut it already." Dusty spat. "I don't care if Ratchet started it, I thought I could have at least trusted you to watch out for him in here. Yes I'm mad. I'm pit fraggin furious. But I'm more disappointed in you than anything."_

The scrape of armor on steel made him cringe as he glanced over to where his boss, his _friend_, was grading a small cluster of crystal across from him. Even with the sound of the machines, the place sounded deadly quiet. Sandstorm had yet to say a single word and everyone else was walking around him like they were on glass.

"_And you! What did I just tell you Sandy! Give the mech a fraggin chance! And yet I come in here, hardly a joor later and you've nearly terminated him!"_

"_I wasn't going to terminate him!"_

"_And you expect me to believe you?! I know what you did in Tarn!"_

_Axil shot Sandstorm a confused look even as the tan mech went rigid, fear flashing across his optics fast enough that Axil thought he had imagined it._

"_How did you-"_

"_You're transferred a groon after you arrive at a place and I shouldn't get suspicious? For Primus sake, give me some credit!" Dusty spat. "I don't know what that mech did to you that you thought it would be a good idea to tear his throat out but I gave you a fraggin chance!"_

"_And I-"_

"_I'm not done!" Dusty spat, cutting the mech off. "You are _my _mech, you are part of _my _gang, and you _will _follow orders. Touch Ratchet again and-"_

"_You're still defending him!"_

"_I don't give a fraggin retrorat's _aft_ about where the pit he's from! I don't care if he's the Pit fraggin Prime's creation!" Dusty yelled. "He's part of _my gang and _you touch him again, or _any _mech under my command and I will personally ship you to Kaon! I should ship you off right this klick!"_

"_Dusty-"_

_Sandstorm's engine whined in distress and Axil could all but feel the fear coming off the mech. _

"_Is that clear!" Dusty yelled._

"_Yessir." Sandstorm hissed. _

"_Axil!"_

"_Yessir." He replied quietly. _

"_Then get your afts back in there and get to work!"_

Dusty abruptly swore and Axil again cringed away from the mech as he repelled down the line and stormed outside. As soon as he was gone, everyone breathed a sigh a relief, some daring to shot almost apologetic looks toward Sandstorm and Axil.

"Hey Sandy-?"

"Don't push it Iron." The tan mech hissed, his engine running at a much higher, distressed pitch than usual and his servos had lost their usual steadiness.

"You know…." The grey mech trailed off as he rolled to a stop below the tan miner and transformed to study the mech. "Dusty… he wouldn't ship you off-"

"That's what the last three bosses said before they found out about me!" Sandstorm spat, glaring down at the bulky mech.

"Dusty's not like that Sandy." He continued. "He won't ship you off for this."

Sandstorm's vents skipped again and he released a shuddering vent.

"Primus I hope you're right." He said quietly after a moment. A few klicks later, Dusty walked back in and the tension in the room visibly spiked as Ironlock left to go back to his station.

Axil felt his armor tighten again even as he heard Sandstorm's engine whine as they both avoided Dusty's gaze as it swept the cavern.

For a moment he thought that Dusty would leave them alone but to his dread, the mech, their boss, headed toward them.

"Sandy, Axil, can I speak with you?" He asked, keeping his tone level.

The two miners shared a look before Axil shrugged, carefully climbing down the scaffolding to stand before the shorter mech. A moment later and he felt Sandstorm come up behind him.

"Yessir?" Axil asked, fighting to keep his own voice level.

"I owe you both an apology." Dusty said and Sandstorm skipped a vent in surprise. "I was too hard on both of you."

"And what gave you that idea." Sandstorm snapped and Axil elbowed him in the side. Hard. He growled lowly but Axil shot him a dark look before Sandstorm deliberately stormed away, shouldering past Dusty and fled the mine.

"Frag…" Dusty muttered quietly, turning to watch the tan miner leave.

"He's afraid of you, ya know that?" Axil asked and Dusty visibly winced. "He'll never admit it but he's terrified you're going to ship him off."

"And I should never have threatened him like that." Dusty replied, optics darting up to Axil's before dropping in an odd, and very rare show of submission. "And I shouldn't have yelled at you either. Ratchet told me what happened and how you objected from the start."

"I… I appreciate that." Axil finally replied, unsure how to take it. Nobody ever apologized because they always meant what they said.

"Oh, Ratchet said to tell you to meet him in the medbay next orn."

"What for?"

"No idea. He said he was finishing things." Dusty said with a shrug before turning his attention back to toward where Sandstorm had left. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go find Sandy."

"Yeah… uhm. Yeah." Axil stammered as the red mech turned and walked away.

"What was _that _all about?" Iron asked as he walked up beside Axil.

"Just… stuff." He said, giving the miner a smirk before turning and scrambling up the scaffolding with renewed vigor.

* * *

**Did I say there was going to be drama? no, there wasn't one bit of drama. *receives wrench to head* fine, maybe a little bit of drama. Funny how I can't stand drama in real life but on FanFiction it is so much more interesting.**

**Read and Review people! I love you guys!**

**I hope to see ya'll next week! **

**(maybe...hopefully... possibly... cross your fingers... and a fusion cannon to the head as motivation...)**


	12. Revenge

**IM BACK! **

**for a bit. My stupid friends all posted their chapters on fanfiction so I now I have to post because they are yelling at me. darn you friends...**

**Clumsy Peg: yes, talk about over protective parents. but Ratchet is still 'young' at this moment so everyone's gonna be protective of the 'kid'**

**JazzStar2104: I love Sterling as well. He's a sweet heart... a violent sweet heart, but he means well. And someone needed to not hate Ratchet right off the hop and I always did have Axil as a bit of a more mellow guy. (and considering that I'm skyping said friends at the moment I'm typing this, she has decided to call him Car Part because she's a MegaMan fan and they have an Axl...)**

**BookLovingPersonR.B.L: Dusty is overprotective for a reason. you'll see why in a few chapters, I'm evil. **

**Answerthecall: Sandy needed to be yelled at, but don't worry, I'm nicer to him from now on. I think...**

**TheDarkestCon:*cringes* sorry sorry sorry... I know I know... life got nuts and crazy and for the first time in 4 month I worked a full 5 day week and I'm tired. I haven't had a lot of time to type. hopefully I'll get more done now that im kinda back on track...**

**Child of Jon snow: That made you smile? and yes, I'm hiding from Hearts too...**

**Princess Kassie: It wont happen this chapter, but dint worry, I will get to that part eventually. **

**Neon: well you found it so that's good. Sorry about my weird update schedule, ill try to stick to a better one now. **

**Guest: I'm so glad you like it so far. Ironic part is is that I'm finally back on the original plot line. you'll probably recognise a lot of stuff and HOPEFULLY it will be better then the original. **

**So I just realised that I forgot to do the 'I don't own didly squat, Hasbro owns it all' thing since I posted BUT since I said it for the original and this is tecknicaly a re-write I think it still kinda works...**

**ANYWAYS!**

**2211Nighthawk does not won Transformers only my OC's**

**there. now I wont go to jail for plagiarism...**

* * *

Chrome drove down the badly lit road, weaving around other mechs and organics as he left the Black Market behind him. It was just after dawn, in other words too fraggin early in the morning to be up and about and he wanted to be back at the medbay before Ratchet showed up. The mech had been in an oddly good mood considering what had all happened in the last three orns but he figured it had something to do with Axil being nearly giddy with excitement before they disappeared around the back of the medbay. They had been there for almost three joors before Ratchet came back into the medbay and Axil went back up to the mine. He'd asked what he'd missed but Ratchet had just given him a smirk before getting back to work.

He'd confronted Axil about it, but he'd just said that Ratchet was keeping his end of the bargain. Even Dusty had been clueless.

And it was driving him insane.

With a snarl he hammered on the brakes as a big grey mech abruptly stepped directly into his path.

"Hey watch it!" He snarled, releasing his brakes to pull around the mech.

"Well I'll be, wondering when we were going to run into you Chrome." The mech rumbled, shifting his stance so that once again a thick heavily treaded leg was blocking his way.

Chrome transformed to his bipedal form, bracing for a physical confrontation. The mech stood helm and shoulders over him.

"What do you want?" He demanded as he became aware of another mech coming up behind him.

"Wanted to ask you a few questions." The mech in front of him said, gesturing toward the alley he had come out of.

"You want to talk to me, you do it here." Chrome growled, standing his ground.

"I strongly advise against that." He said and Chrome stumbled as the mech behind him roughly shoved him. Chrome snarled, but knowing the dangers of making a scene, followed the mech into the entrance of the alley. He stopped just inside the shadows, crossing his arms over his chassis and refused to go farther.

"What do you want that it needs to be done here." He demanded, green optics lighting up the darkness.

"Would you relax already?" The bigger of the two asked, giving Chrome a cocky smirk as he casually leaned up against the wall. "Just wanted to ask you some things."

"Then ask. I got mechs waiting on me."

"Where's Sterling."

"On a run. We're behind schedule and you asking half-glitched questions is just putting us behind more." He growled.

"When's he coming back." The mech asked.

"Don't know."

"I'm sure you do." The mech snarled, dark red optics locked on Chrome.

Something collided with the back of his legs and Chrome gasped in pain as he collapsed to his knee bolts, twisting to snarl at the mech behind him holding a long, metal pipe of some kind. He instantly recognised the mech and felt the energon freeze in his lines.

"I'd hope you recognised me Chrome. It sure has been a long time." Titan sneered, hefting the pipe to his shoulder guard. The other mech's designation came back to him at that moment and he knew he was in trouble. Recoil shifted and Chrome's gaze snapped to the other, grinning, mech before locking optics back on Titan.

"I had nothing to do with Backtrack and neither did Sterling or anyone else." Chrome spat, struggling to get back to his peds. Something in his lower leg creaked dangerously, shooting searing pain up his leg and he hissed quietly.

"Funny because, right before one of those pit-spawn Guards tore him open, he commed me." Titan explained, the towering mech taking another step toward Chrome. "And you know what he said?"

"Enlighten me."

"He said that Sterling had stabbed him."

"I don't know what you're talking about. Sterling had been ambushed and was out cold from surgery." Chrome bluffed.

"Explains why he was limping the whole time." Titan snarled, letting the pipe slide from his shoulder guard to slap it into his open servo in an obvious threat. "I'm not going to ask you again, where's Sterling Silver."

"He doesn't go by that designation anymore." Chrome growled, holding Titan's vibrant red glare.

"You know what else my brother told me?" Titan asked, well within Chrome's personal space. "He said he'd been actin' odd. And I remember hearing rumors about him. Something about hunter coding?"

"There's nothing wrong with that mech, I've been in his helm enough times to know he's as sane as the rest of us." Chrome snarled.

He never saw the backhand that came across his helm and it sent him to the ground on his servos and knee bolts, his audios ringing. Recoil kicked him in the shoulder and something did crack, his armor stabbing into his protoform till it ground against the joint.

His arm gave out as he snarled in pain.

"That mech should be put down like the beast he is." Titan said quietly before kicking Chrome in the tanks, flipping the smaller mech onto his back with another gasp of pain. Recoil walked back over and planted his ped on Chrome's freshly damaged shoulder joint, pining the medic in place as he swallowed a howl of pain.

"So make this easier on yourself and tell me when's he back in town." Titan demanded, pressing the sharp tip of the pipe against Chrome's torso, just below his chest plating and lightly leaning on it. Chrome winced as it dug under his plating, scraping against protoform.

"Go frag yourself." Chrome spat, trying to shove the other mech's ped off his shoulder so he could get out from under that razor sharp point.

"Wrong answer." Titan growled.

xxXXxx

Ratchet pulled up to the medbay earlier than usual, his subspace full of datapads. Chrome hadn't been lying when he said that Axil was a genius and within two orns he had already gasped the basics of writing. He'd already figure out to write his designation, and almost all of the other miners' as well.

Sandstorm still hadn't shown up but Axil insisted that he would at some point in the near future. The mech was curious and eventually it would get the better of him. They'd agreed to meet early at the medbay, two joors before Axil had to get back to work and Chrome got too suspicious. So far the medic hadn't been too nosy but it was only a matter of time before he started banging helms together and trying to figure out what in pit was going on.

As Ratchet came over the last ridge before the medbay, he saw two mechs idling just in front of the entrance. The closer of the two looked very similar to Sandstorm, with a big 4x4 like alt. The other was some kind of drilling machine with thick heavy treads and the overall shape of a tank. The tank-like mech transformed, talking a few steps toward Ratchet as he slowed to a stop.

"You Ratchet?" He asked in a rough voice.

The smaller mech transformed as well.

"Yeah. What can I do for you?" He asked, wondering why Chrome hadn't helped them already. The medic should have been up and moving already. Some orns he was convinced the mech never recharged.

"We're looking for a mech. Dusty?"

"Ah, yes. He's expecting you two I think. You're the new transfers right?" Ratchet asked. The two mechs shared a look before refocusing on Ratchet.

"Yeah. I'm looking for a friend. He said he was part of Dusty's gang. Sterling Silver?" The first mech continued.

"His full designations Sterling Silver? Huh. I'll have to annoy him about that." Ratchet muttered before refocusing on the two mech. "Yeah, he's here. He's on a run though, he's supposed to be back sometime this orn. He usually doesn't stick around though, he usually drops and runs back home to his mate."

"I forgot the mech was bonded." The first mech said lowly, turning to face the other.

"That doesn't change a thing." He growled, dark red optics sliding to Ratchet before back to the other mech. For a moment Ratchet thought he recognised the second mech but then it passed.

"When is Sterling back." The second mech snarled and Ratchet felt his armor start to flare at his aggressive attitude.

"I don't know." Ratchet replied, taking a nervous step backwards as the two exchanged looks again, obviously on a comm. The second mech suddenly grinned, pulling a long metal pipe from subspace. It was dented in places, the end badly bent out of shape like it had been smashed against something. And the tip was slick with fresh energon.

"Then I'll just have to take it out on your hide, _royal."_ The mech snarled, taking a step toward Ratchet. He didn't wait for the mech to get closer, but dropped into his altmode and bolted toward the mine.

"Get back here fragger!" The mech roared, swinging the pipe down and nearly smashing in Ratchet's windshield. He swerved around the mech and raced up the road, bent on making it to the mine where he knew he would be safe.

A powerful engine roared to life and the mech took off after him, easily tearing up the road after Ratchet. He risked a glance behind him and just managed to avoid being rear ended by swerving to the side.

The mech snarled in anger and Ratchet used his smaller size to race past the mech.

Only for the forgotten mech to crash into him, his heavy flanks all but tossing Ratchet off the road and rolling into the ditch.

He transformed to bipedal with a yelp of surprise, sliding into the ditch and scrambling to get out the other side. A servo latched onto his ankle joint, yanking him back down into the ditch where he crashed to the ground on his back. Ratchet rolled out of the way as the razor sharp pipe was driven into the ground mere inched from his chassis.

"You miserable fragger, you got Backtrack terminated!" The mech snarled as Ratchet scrambled back up the ditch. The side gave way, burying the base of the pipe in the rubble and the mech cursed, trying to yank it free as Ratchet made it back onto level ground.

Only for a crushing mass to collide with him, slamming him back to the ground hard enough that his vision flickered. He gasped for air as an iron grip tightened around his throat.

"Think you'd get away with that?" The tank-like mech spat, red optics dark and furious. Ratchet chocked, servos clawing at the other mech's as warnings flooded his processor. In a desperate attempt, he shoved his thin digits as deep into the mech's wrist joints as he could and was rewarded with a howl of pain and the pressure on his throat cables being released. The crushing weight was still on his chassis though and he felt himself overheating as his vents were trapped shut.

The weight was abruptly gone just as his vision flickered black and he gasped, vents flaring open as he coughed and gagged for air.

"Easy mech, easy. Just vent."

It was an unfamiliar voice as a servo gripped his shoulder guard to steady him. Ratchet's vison slowly cleared but he didn't do more then roll onto his side, still coughing as the servo continued to steady him.

"Ratchet! What happened!"

That voice was familiar and he forced his optics online to stare up at an unfamiliar grey mech. Dusty was hovering over the other mech, worry crossing his faceplates.

"Cho..." He rasped, forcing his sore throat to work. "There's another…. another mech."

"Chrome? What- aw frag." Dusty asked before abruptly spinning away. "Watch him! He's one of us!" He yelled before he bolted down the road. Ratchet shook his helm as he carefully sat up, his processor throbbing.

"You ok?" The other mech asked in concern, crouching beside Ratchet. He nodded before his optics locked onto the grey frame of the mech that had been trying to throttle him. He wasn't moving. A quick scan revealed that he was unconscious and might have a broken jaw hinge.

"You sure? They sure seemed pretty pit bent of off'ing ya." The mech continued. Ratchet took the moment to study him. He was slim for a miner, very similar to Axil's wiry build but a medium grey color. Jagged, terrible scars that made Sterling's many scars look like paint scratches, spider webbed over his side from just over his left hipbolt.

"I'm fine..." Ratchet repeated, carefully standing up. He swayed for a klick and the other miner abruptly stood up as well, darting out a servo to steady him. "Something... happened to... to Chrome.

"The medic right?" The miner asked as Ratchet took a shaky step. Again he nodded before he collapsed into his altmode, carefully maneuvering the road back down to the medbay. The miner followed him, his alt mode almost identical to Chrome's pickup alt except for the color.

As soon as he got back to the medbay he knew something was wrong. The other mech was nowhere to be seen while another strange mech was standing beside Dusty, energon dripping from his servo. He stood nearly as tall as Sterling with the same, solid build.

"He's not here." Dusty said when he saw Ratchet pull up.

"What?! Then where is he?!" Ratchet demanded, panic starting to set in.

"Calm down Ratchet, I'm sure he's fine. He said he was going to the Market this morning. He'll be back in a bit." Dusty assured him.

"You don't know that!" Ratchet yelled. "I've been trying to comm him since-since whoever the pit that was! Tried to terminate me and he isn't responding!"

"Ratchet, calm down before you blow a fuse. Arachnid's got a powerful comm block on her empire. Comms won't go in or out of the place." Dusty continued. "I'm sure he's fine but I'll go track him down if it will calm you down."

"Dusty, something's wrong. They were asking about Sterling. One of them said that it was my fault Backtrack was offline." Ratchet insisted.

"Sterling?" Dusty asked in confusion. "What do they want with Sterling? He's not due back for a couple more joors."

"Wait, Sterling _Silver?!"_ The bigger miner demanded in surprise.

"Yes Sterling. Though I don't suggest calling him his full designation, it tends to frag him off a little." Dusty growled in obvious warning.

"Huh. Haven't seen that spawn of a glitch in a long time." The mech continued with a savage grin that made Ratchet's armor crawl.

"Oh yeah, Ratch, meet Jigsaw and Impactor. Finally we got a fraggin gang again." Dusty growled, gesturing toward the slimmer mech first, then the one that was still grinning predatorily. "Mechs, meet Ratchet. He's our medic in training."

"He's a royal though." Impactor objected, crossing thick arms over an equally large chassis.

"And your point?" Dusty demanded, spinning on the bigger mech and his armor standing on end in warning.

"Just saying." Impactor said, raising his servos in surrender and talking a step back.

"Good. Head up the road, Carbon's-"

Dusty cut himself off when a low rumble started getting closer from down the road.

"-on his way. Never mind. Fraggit can't I get a break around here." Dusty grumbled. "Fraggit. Change of plans, Ratchet, go with Carbon to try and find Chrome. If he's in as much trouble as you think he is, you'll need the back up. I told him not to bother coming up, he waiting for you at the start of the road."

"Thanks Dusty." Ratchet said quietly before he transformed and raced down the road.

ooOOoo

Like Dusty said, the massive black mech was idling at the start of the road, his EM field flared in alarm.

"Ratchet, what's going on? Dusty told me to wait here for you, he said that you'd been attacked and that Chrome was missing."

"Two mechs were asking for Sterling." Ratchet explained, as he started forward.

"Jump in my box, I can take a shorter road then you but you'd rip you're undercarriage out."

Ratchet skidded to a stop and transformed as the big mech pulled up beside him. In one easy motion he had levered himself up into Carbon's box. He had hardly hit the thick base before Carbon gunned it, the roar of his engine utterly deafening. He clapped his servos over his audios as Carbon surged forward, his massive tires easily covering ground as he rumbled over ground that would have swallowed Ratchet's altmode.

The other altmodes they passed all rivaled Carbon's size, most even bigger than him and Ratchet couldn't help but gawk at the massive vehicles of all shapes and sizes drove past. Other than the Omegas and the legends of massive city-sized mechs called Titans, he'd never even seen mechs that big.

While Carbon moved a fair bit slower than either Ratchet or Chrome, the back ruts that he took cut the travel time in half and soon he was recognising the buildings.

"**I have to go on ped now. I'm too big to drive around here. Mech's get mad." **Carbon said as he slowed to a stop. Ratchet jumped out and the big mech transformed to biped, towering over Ratchet in the dark. "I haven't been here in a long time, I hope you know where we're going."

"Yeah. Yeah I recognise this place. The warehouse is down there." Ratchet said, gesturing down the road.

"Then that's where we'll start." Carbon said, taking a step forward. As soon as the mech moved and he was no longer in his shadow, Ratchet realized he was shining like a torch.

"Aw scrap, I forgot Sterling's anti-beacon paste." Ratchet grumbled, examine how his neon yellow paint shone. Thanks to his recent scuffle, his paint was badly scratched and his plating dented so it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

"You look fine." Carbon said, glancing back with his searing red optics and a smirk. "Besides, I'd just hit anyone that has a problem."

"Yeah good point." Ratchet grumbled, catching up to the big mech as he started down the street. They got a lot of suspicious looks and Ratchet felt his armor start to tighten against his frame in unease. But walking next to the massive bulk that was Carbon eased most of his tension. One smoldering glare from his optics and mechs found the ground much more interesting.

As soon as they started getting closer to where he knew the Market was, he activated his medical scanners, stretching them to their utter limit and hoping that he would be able to pick up something.

"Anything?" Carbon asked, no doubt feeling that slight tingle as Ratchet subconsciously scanned him.

"No, not yet." Ratchet said, blue optics darting around nervously. He knew mechs were getting nervous seeing him around and he knew that if something backfired, Carbon wouldn't stand a chance.

All of a sudden he detected a weak spark signature and spun toward it, nearly colliding with Carbon.

"Warn me before you hit the brakes like that." He grumbled but Ratchet wasn't paying attention.

"He's hurt. He's hurt bad!" He gasped before launching forward into his altmode and racing toward where the signal was coming from. He ignored the curses and shouts aimed at him as he wove around mechs and organics alike and racing into a narrow alley.

He was immediately hit with the smell of fresh energon and he skidded into his bipedal form as his optics locked on the figure slumped half over against the wall of the alley. His arm was wrapped around his chassis oddly and his armor was soaked in energon that continued to flow freely.

"Chrome!" He cried out, scrambling to his mentor's side just as the medic groaned.

"…Ratch…?" He asked weakly, his helm lifting just enough for Ratchet to catch a dim glimmer of green optics.

"What the frag did you do to yourself?!" Ratchet demanded, the deep systems scans he was running scaring him almost as badly as the amount of energon that had pooled on the ground under the medic.

Fractured armor plates, protoform punctured in multiple places, massive internal fluid loss, flooded vents and a gaping hole punched through his abdominal slips.

"…Torn fuel lines…" Chrome rasped before gasping in pain when Ratchet nudged his servo. "Don't!"

"What's wrong!" Ratchet demanded, freezing in place.

"No… no subspace…" He hissed, trembling as he went into shock. "Can't… can't get my… my tools…"

Ratchet stared at him for a nano-klick in horror before violently swearing and scanning his mentor.

"What!" Carbon demanded in alarm, walking into the alley.

"The only reason he hasn't leaked dry yet is because he's pinching off a primary fuel line directly from his fuel pump." Ratchet explained rapidly. "He's still leaking out but that would have terminated him in half a klick. That being said, energon hasn't been flowing through his systems since then and they can start shutting down in as little as a two joors."

The black minor went rigid in horror as Ratchet followed his mentor's fluid slick servo to where he was still weakly pinching off the primary line.

"How long's it been?" Carbon asked quietly.

"Three if not four?" Ratchet replied, sparing the black miner a glance as Chrome gasped sharply in pain when he maneuvered a clamp into the right place.

Carbon crouched down beside him, gently laying a massive servo on Chrome's shoulder guard in comfort and to still the medic.

"Hang on Chrome." He rumbled quietly. "We got'cha. Ratch can patch you up no problem."

The young apprentice in question winced under the sudden pressure as he shifted to work on Chrome at a better angle. He had no doubt now that the two mechs that had attacked him were the same mechs that had attacked Chrome. And he knew with a sick sense of dread that Chrome had been impaled with that big pipe.

"I need to put you in stasis lock." Ratchet said, re-sealing the two torn ends of the primary line and removing the clamp. To his relief, the seal didn't leak, but the fluid loss from other lines got worse as the energon once against started to pump though his systems. At the same moment Chrome convulsed, coughing up energon as his vents flooded.

"Frag!" Ratchet spat, reaching for the back of the medic's neck with his datacord. He needed the medic in stasis-lock before he caused the medic more pain then what he was already in.

"No-" Chrome started to object just as Ratchet slid the silvery cable into the dataport. _"-don't!"_

Chrome's voice echoed through his helm as he initiated the connection. With his medical coding, it helped soften the mental pain of a one-way sync but that didn't stop Ratchet from reeling back in shock at what he 'saw'.

The tightly woven strings of codes that formed the medic's rather impressive firewalls had been torn away, the coding still withering as it tried to seal the breach.

"_Oh Primus, you were hacked."_ He stammered in alarm, hesitantly moving forward toward the destroyed firewalls. As he got closer to the damage he became aware of the deep throbbing pain in the medic's processor and he started to activate the medical stasis-lock.

To his surprise and confusion Chrome reacted to it, his firewalls attempting to surge up even as he heard the medic keen in pain at the effort.

"_Fraggit Chrome, now is not the time to be stubborn!" _Ratchet snapped, ready to overwhelm the medic if he had to.

_Followhurrynowimportantmustknow!_

It was the scrambled thoughts of someone badly fragmented and Ratchet physically recoiled at the emotional surge. Distantly he was aware of a heavy servo on his shoulder guard but he remained focused on Chrome as several strings of coding lit up, leading past the breached firewalls.

"_Chrome I-"_

_Comenowdangerhurtsorrymyfault._

Regret swept over Ratchet and he started forward in confusion. Systems at the back of his processor alerted him to Chrome's critical state and he immediately backed out in alarm, ready to force the stasis-lock.

Until a single memory file, badly torn apart, caught his attention as Chrome highlighted it. As quickly as he could, and becoming aware of Carbon gently shaking him and calling his designation, he pieced the coding back together.

_Chrome shrugged innocently as Dusty glared savagely at him. _

"I _thought it was funny." He muttered under his breath and was rewarded when Dusty finally cracked a smile._

"_It was fraggin hysterical." He said as he chuckled. "But to get serious again. Where the frag has Sterling been for the last two orns?"_

"_And that my friend, is the million credit question." Chrome replied, exventing with a sigh and running his servo down his faceplates. He was getting too old for this slag. _

"_You sure Ratchet's alright?" He asked again as he walked back into his office. He needed a stiff drink and he figured that Dusty could as well._

"_Yes he's fine. Dropped him off at his apartment like I told you." Dusty said with a smirk, shaking his helm as he databurst Chrome the apprentice's address-_

The file cut off as Ratchet triggered the stasis-lock.

The medical coding surged over the medic's firewalls and in less than half a nano-klick he felt Chrome go limp. He backed out of the medic's processor as fast as he dared, onlining his own optics to find himself heaving for air and his cooling fans running at full speed in stress.

"What in pit was that?!" Carbon demanded, his servo still on Ratchet's shoulder guard. "You went completely rigid and stopped cycling air! Primus, I thought you'd fried yourself!"

"He knows where I live." Ratchet stammered in horror, ignoring the miner's distressed tone. "That mech knows where I live!"

* * *

**Yes I know, short chapter, but the other place I cut if off was at 6500 words and then I had almost nothing left for the next chapter and would have had to end that at dumb place. **

**Yes you heard right, 'next chapter'**

**it's almost done and I will hopefully get it out in a week. **

**Oh yeah! **

**So my two friends, yes the ones teasing me, have posted Fanfictions FINALLY! They are both MegaMan fics but once you get the basics it's fairly easy to follow along with. And if you don't understand something, feel free to bomb them with questions. I know I still do...**

Hannaji **and **Shinryuu Uroborus **are both amazing writers (once they finally**** get going) and that would be awesome if you would check them out. Thanks guys!**

**Read and Review, I love you all and hopefully see you all in a week!**


	13. Hurt

**Howdy all! **

**Its still Sunday so I'm posting. **

**Guest: I'm glad you're enjoying it so far.**

**Guest 1: See? This version is way better then the old one. **

**Guest: Thanks so much, it means a lot. Hope you like what's all to come yet. **

**Answerthecall: Yes, once again Ratch's in hot water. Heck, they kinda all are at this point. **

**JazzStar2104: I can t wait to write that chapter. It's gonna be a blast. It might be a while though, i have a whole mess load of stuff coming up. **

**TheDarkestCon: Again, this is what i wanted to call the original, all the way back when i started writing the FIRST version. But then i thought i would be able to do it all in one story. HA! yeah right... oh well. This is part one we shall say. I know! Previous story line, here we come! Yeesh!**

**HeartsGuardianSol: Fiddlesticks?! I haven heard that one in ages... hee hee. Makes me feel old. Glad you like it so far. **

**Guest: More fun is yet to come, hope you like it. **

**Wolfrunner99-2: Hee hee, i cant wait till some of the really good cliffhangers come around. That one was just me too lazy to write an 8 thousand word chapter. :D**

**So here's the deal! We just bought a camper trailer. (yahoo!) and so we're going to be doing a lot of camping including this coming weekend. Depending on my week, I may or may not be able to type much this week. that being said! I do have half of the next chapter. **

**So, hopefully, i will be able to post next Sunday. If not, I'll try to asap. **

**Enjoy!**

**2211Nighthawk does not own Transformers. **

* * *

"He hacked Chrome and he knows where I live!" Ratchet stammered in shock. "Oh Primus, Focus!"

He immediately opened a comm to the other mech but it never went though. Just like when Backtrack had ambushed him.

"Ratchet, calm down!" Carbon ordered, tightening his grip on the apprentice's armor till he winced. "I'll comm Dusty but you need to focus on Chrome. Besides, none of us would dare go into Iacon during the orn. You have until tonight."

"What happens tonight?" Ratchet asked nervously.

"We blend in." Carbon said with a dangerous grin.

Ratchet nodded dumbly before dropping his optics to the stasis-locked mech.

"Get- get him on his back." He stammered, shifting away from Chrome as Carbon gently eased the medic to the ground properly. Without having to worry about hurting the medic, he worked faster than ever, repairing primary lines so that an energon drip wouldn't just end up on the ground like the rest of most of his fluids. Because of so much fluid loss his core temperature was starting to climb.

"What do you mean Chrome was hacked?" Carbon asked abruptly and Ratchet glanced up at him for a nano-klick.

"His firewalls were torn down." Ratchet said, repairing a secondary line that fed coolant from his fuel pump back to his cooling systems. "From what I saw, it looks like he went straight for when Sterling got attacked and Dusty drove me home. Dusty told Chrome where I lived then. And Chrome did say something about a titan before I knocked him out."

He pulled an energon drip from subspace and neatly inserted the needle into the secondary line he had just repaired.

"Hold that." He ordered curtly, passing the flimsy bag to an even-quieter-then-normal Carbon. He spared the mech a concerned glance and was surprised to see the huge mech deep in thought, his optics focused off to the side on the alley wall.

"Carbon!" He barked and the miner abruptly shook his helm with a snarl before refocusing on Ratchet and taking the bag.

"Don't squeeze it." Ratchet warned, giving the mech one last concerned look before refocusing on Chrome and the gaping wound punched though the medic.

_"WHAT?!"_

Carbon's deafening roar of anger caused Ratchet to jerk even as every living being in a good half mile radius scattered.

"The frag Carbon!" Ratchet yelled, giving the miner a smouldering glare that only a medic nearly terminating his patient because he had the living and utter slag scared out of him could.

"_Titan_." Carbon hissed, his faceplates twisted into a savage snarl. For a moment, fear flooded Ratchet's systems as the miner's already vivid gaze flared pink in uncontrollable rage.

"Carbon, calm down." He said, his servos still working even as he continued to watch the miner curse violently. "Carbon, please, you're scaring me." He added in a much quieter voice.

It caught the miner's attention though and pink-with-rage optics snapped to Ratchet's scared blue ones. Immediately the miner relaxed, gusting a massive amount of air from his vents as he flattened his armor tight against his frame in apology. By some massive amount of self-control he hadn't damaged the energon drip.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly. "Titan is Backtrack's brother. Dusty just told me that Piledriver said it was Titan's idea to attack you and Chrome."

Ratchet nodded dumbly as his own flared armor started to settle and he finally tore his gaze away from Carbon to keep working.

"Titan probably came after you and Sterling for revenge. But why would he go after Chrome? He had nothing to do with that mess." Carbon continued quietly to himself.

"If it makes you feel any better it wasn't a serious hack, I've heard of far worse. If he's in stasis he might be able to repair some of the damage himself and whatever he can't repair, I can once I've finished this. Mentally, he's fine now. Physically…." Ratchet trailed off as Carbon's optics locked on him. "He's stabilising." He finally said.

"Can we get him back to the medbay?"

"Carefully, yes. I need different tools to get the rest." Ratchet replied.

"You don't carry everything in subspace?" Carbon asked curiously.

Ratchet couldn't help but chuckle and the genuinely confused look on the miner's faceplates.

"That's what every medic gets asked at some point in their career and no, I don't carry everything in subspace. Some medics do carry almost everything but I just keep a basic field kit and some other tools in subcase." Ratchet explained before exventing. "His protoform is still all sliced up from his armor fracturing. What the frag did they do to him."

"Chrome's always had weak armor." Carbon said. "Since he got caught in that acid storm."

Abruptly Ratchet glanced down at the medic. He had gotten so used to seeing the rust colored scars that covered his mentor that he had forgotten that the medic was original a silvery grey color.

"But for it to have fractured like that..." Ratchet trailed off as he quietly finished a few more welds. "Why did he never get it fixed?"

"Cause he was still protected enough from the elements and he didn't want to waste what little free time Axil had when others were in far worse shape than he was." Carbon explained as he handed Ratchet back the energon drip and he removed it. Carbon then carefully shifted his arms under the badly damaged medic and Ratchet couldn't help but wince at the sound of metal scrapping against metal as Chrome's broken armor shifted. Then in a show of obvious skill, Carbon transformed, easily maneuvering the medic till he was flat in the bottom of his box and Ratchet jumped in, reinserting the drip under a gap of armor in Chrome's bracer.

"Be careful going back." Ratchet said quietly as he braced himself in the box, one servo against Chrome's chassis as a way to feel the medic's dangerously weak spark pulse.

ooOOoo

"Carbon stop! Something's wrong!" Ratchet yelled as he felt the medic's temperature suddenly spike to dangerous levels and his already ragged vents stopped all together.

"Wha-"

"Just stop!" Ratchet repeated as the black mech pulled off the tracks. "He's burning up, it's just like Sterling when he was attacked."

"When he was- frag, that's selion acting up!"

"I don't have that mystery drug Chrome gave him though." Ratchet stammered in alarm.

"I have Prex in my subspace." Carbon replied and a panel on the side of his box slid open. Ratchet reaching into the other mech's subspace and quickly found the jar of murky white liquid. Just as he stabbed a clean needle into the lid, what the mech said caught up to him.

"Prex?" He demanded in alarm. "As in Prexilin?!"

He felt Carbon wince at the accusation.

"I don't know how it works, all I know is that it's a life saver." Carbon replied.

"It's an illegal drug!"

"And it's the only thing that will counteract the selion poisoning!" Carbon shot back. "Ratchet, he will terminate without that!"

Ratchet snarled low in his chassis, his medical coding rebelling at the thought of using such a dangerous drug on his mentor but also knowing that he had seen what the murky white liquid had done for Sterling.

"Fraggit all." He spat before drawing the correct amount into the needle and injecting it into an energon line in Chrome's bracer. As soon as he pulled the needle free, his mentor's temperature started to drop, his vents slowly starting to cycle again. "Just get us home." Ratchet growled, scanning his mentor again in case the deadly drug did more than just cool the medic's systems down.

ooOOoo

"What in Primus happened?!" Dusty demanded in alarm when Ratchet and Carbon pulled up to the medbay late that afternoon.

"He got beat up pretty bad." Carbon said as Ratchet jumped out. Again he smoothly transformed to end with Chrome cradled in his arms and followed Ratchet into the medbay. He gently settled the medic onto the steel table as Ratchet started working on the catches to get the medic's badly damaged armor off.

"Do you need help?" Dusty asked, taking a small step forward but hesitant to get in the apprentice's way.

"Another set of servos would be great." Ratchet confessed, having to take a step back when Carbon had to help him get what was left of Chrome's chest piece off. "Think you could spare Axil to come down here and work his magic on what's left of his armor? What isn't broken is badly dented and will be pressing against his pain grid.

"I think so. Especially now that Impactor and Jigsaw are here." Dusty replied, tapping the side of his helm and activating his comm. "He'll be down in a klick. Carbon, you heading back up?"

"Soon as I turn Titan into scrap metal." The black miner growled, flashing Dusty a dangerous look. The red mech shook his helm slowly.

"We just got two mechs Carbon, let's not frag off Copper for a while." He said. "Besides he's not even worth the grease stain you'd leave behind."

"He knows where Ratchet lives and I wouldn't put it past that gutter sludge to attack him again." Carbon growled.

"Dusty, my roommate…" Ratchet added, trailing off in misery.

"You can't reach him?" Dusty asked.

"No, but he's been ignoring me since I disappeared for two orns and didn't tell him." Ratchet replied. Both miners in the room winced at the reminder.

"I'll go check it out. See if that glitch has been snooping around." Dusty grumbled, turning toward the door before glancing over his shoulder guard at Ratchet.

"Are you going to be alright till Axil shows up?" He asked.

"Yeah, I've already given him a dose of Prexilin." Ratchet growled, glaring darkly at the surprised miner.

"How did you-"

"Carbon." Ratchet snapped in answer, turning his attention back to his mentor and missing the pointed look Dusty shot at the black miner.

"Chrome had an attack as we were coming back and I had to tell Ratchet." Carbon explained.

"That stuff could terminate you all." Ratchet growled, his focus on Chrome. "It's addictive and can destroy your internal systems if-"

"Ratchet, we're all going to terminate at some point." Dusty interrupted carefully. "There's no cure for selion poisoning and anyone that spends any amount of time will get it. Prex at least gives us a bit longer to function before the selion chokes our sparks out."

Ratchet didn't respond right a ways, not even sure how to respond to the miner's simple fact-of-life statement.

"I've stabilised him so I'll help de-frag him while-" He started to say after a moment of tense silence.

"He was hacked?!" Dusty demanded in alarm, his armor standing on end.

"Now can I beat him into shavings?" Carbon growled, glaring at the red mech.

"1 block radius around his place. And this does not come back to bite me in the aft." Dusty growled, jabbing a digit at the black miner. "You got that?"

"Yessir." Carbon replied with a feral smirk.

"Good. Now get lost before I realise what I've done." Dusty grumbled and the black miner slipped out of the medbay. Dusty turned back to Ratchet then, a sly smirk on his faceplates.

"If Titan is anywhere near your place, Carbon will find him." He said levelly before he took a step toward the door.

"Keep me posted on Chrome?" He asked, glancing back for a klick. Ratchet nodded and he returned the gesture before walking outside and transforming to drive back to the mine.

Ratchet watched him go before turning his attention back to the medic. There were some still deep, but not life threatening, gashes on his sides and upper arm from where his armor had pierced his protoform. Upon examine his armor he realised with dread that his armor was only half as thick as it should have been in places.

"I keep telling him to get it fixed."

Ratchet nearly jumped when Sandstorm spoke from just inside the door. He hadn't seen the mech since their fiasco three orns before. "He won't listen to me though, go figure."

"Carbon told me he didn't want to waste Axil's time." Ratchet replied, setting the armor down carefully.

"Sounds like him." Sandstorm grunted before Axil came sliding in through the doors.

"Sorry, he beat me down here. Dusty said you could use our help?" The dark grey mech panted.

"I was just saying to Ratchet how Chrome refused to get his armor fixed." Sandstorm said nodding to where the steadily growing pile of dangerously thin armor was growing.

Ratchet's gaze snapped to Sandstorm in surprise. He hadn't missed the way his designations was said with almost no hostility. It shocked him to say the least.

"Bout fraggin time." Axil grumbled, walking over to inspect the medic's armor. "Been beat up pretty good. Primus, he looks bad." He muttered, turning to study the unconscious medic before tossing some of the armor in subspace. "I'll have this done Eh-sap. Oh, and I know you're wondering why Sandy's here, but it's because as skilled as I am with an open flame, I can't work a welding torch to save my life let alone anyone else's. Other than Chrome and Sterling, Sandy's got the steadiest set of servos around here." Axil added before spinning in place and waltzing outside.

Sandstorm watched him unamused before refocusing on Ratchet and taking a step forward.

"What do you need me to do?" He said levelly as Ratchet subspaced a rag to clean his servos with.

"When his armor fractured it cut up his protoform in places." Ratchet said, gesturing to the medic's mangled shoulder joint. "He got hacked so I need to fix that while he's still unconscious, it's usually easier and less painful that way."

Sandstorm nodded before walking around to Ratchet's side of the table, accepting the torch Ratchet handed him, and got to work. Ratchet watched him for a klick, impressed at his neat welds before abruptly shaking his helm to clear his thoughts before plugging his datacord back into the back of Chrome's helm.

The dull throb, though far less then what it was, once again filled his helm as the connection established as well as a sense of hostility. Ratchet knew that while it would be easier to repair a fragmentation, it also meant Chrome was far less aware of what was going on and the intruder was more likely to get attacked by accident.

_"Chrome, it's me Ratchet. You're safe." _He said, making sure to keep his metal defences down. He had a very bad feeling that if they started to activate, Chrome would attack him, subconsciously or not.

The hostile feeling dissolved only to be replaced by confusion, pain, and fear.

_"Me and Sandstorm are putting you back together. They did a good job on your frame. Axil's gonna be busy." _Ratchet continued, moving toward the medic's firewalls.

Humor, curiosity and a sense of annoyance blended in with the others.

_"You needed your armor fixed."_ Ratchet said stubbornly, moving past the broken walls. Immediately, fear and hostility took over again, all nearly overridden by _pianpainpainithurtseverythingmessedup._

_"Easy Chrome, I'm here."_ He replied, letting the medic's malware swarm his metal presence before it backed off. _"Where's it fragmented worse? I can help you put everything back._

The surge of utter distrust was like a slap to the faceplates and Ratchet winced, his mental defence activating slightly. He felt Chrome wince in pain before Ratchet lowered his defences again, letting medical coding leach across the connection to dull the pain.

_"I won't prod. Just point me where to go." _Ratchet insisted, confused at the medic's sudden distrust. Finally, coding started lighting up to point Ratchet in the right direction. To his relief it was toward his most recent memories and after hesitating a moment to exam the direction to his core programing, deemed it untampered with and resumed his journey.

A specific set of memories had been tampered with and Ratchet shuddered at what he was forced to re-experience. Battleship and the two other miners terminating all over again to shortly after Sterling was attacked. When Chrome showed no more signs of aggression, Ratchet moved off the path, quietly working to sort the files and carefully re-organise them. He desperately tried to ignore the raw grief and feelings of failure when he was forced to watched Chrome throw the sheets over the last of the three mechs. It was just as bad as feeling the utter terror that came over the medic when he thought that they would lose Sterling.

About halfway though, the files and coding started to move on their own and he became aware of a presence watching him. Chrome was still trapped under the effects of the stasis lock and only a sense of relief and gratitude were felt as Ratchet slowly back tracked, double checking other pathways to make sure they hadn't been tampered with.

He onlined his optics on level with the examination table and realised that he was slumped in a chair. When did that happen?

"What the frag was that." Sandstorm demanded hotly, staring at him from across Chrome's chassis.

Ratchet shook his helm sharply before getting back to his peds. The way Sandstorm suddenly tilted to the side changed his processor and he sank back into the chair, his suddenly pounding helm in his servos.

"My professors called it processor over-extension." Ratchet said slowly as the world slowly stilled. "Basically I put too much effort into checking on Chrome that I forgot to monitor my own systems. I think I did the same before. Carbon said that I forgot to cycle air."

"And you'll keep doing that?" Sandstorm asked cautiously, almost like he was concerned.

"No, you learn just how far you can stretch your mental awareness. There's usually a professor with us whenever we would do a sync so that if something did happen they would pull us out of it." Ratchet replied, then gave the miner a pained look. "I've only done something like that a few times before and I've never done it alone. And most certainly not _on_ someone."

"Is Chrome alright then?"

"Yeah, he's fine. Just got to finish putting him back together again." Ratchet said with a sigh as when this time he stood, nothing swayed.

**"Ratchet! What the frag is going on!"**

The apprentice winced before realising who had commed him.

**"Focus?! Where the pit are you!"**

xxXXxx

Focus smoothly pulled over to the side of the road, then transformed and stepped onto the sidewalk, rolling his shoulder bolts with a groan of relief. With a scowl he realized that Ratchet had tried to comm him half a dozen times over the last few joors. He brushed the comm requests aside in annoyance and stalked toward the apartment. He was still mad at the mech for disappearing on him and had made a point of not being home when the other medic was.

As such, Ratchet still didn't know that he had a mentor for almost a cycle.

And he had no intents of saying so until he was no longer mad at the mech.

He was so focused on inwardly fuming at the mech he had considered a friend that he didn't even pay attention to dark grey arm that shot out of nowhere to grab his bracer.

With a startled squawk he was jerked to the side, colliding with a wall with a grunt. Only to realise that a neat strip of paint had been scratched off his chassis.

"Oh come on, I just painted this morning!" He snapped, examining the mark. It was to the bare metal and he groaned. "That's gonna be a pain in the aft to buff out."

"I can assure you that your paint will be the last of your problems."

Focus spun around to see the mech that had grabbed him and froze in raw terror.

The mech towered over him and was easily three times his mass. Burning red optics bored though his spark and he took a nervous step back only to realise that he was already pressed up against the wall.

"I- I don't want any trouble." He stammered in fear.

"Pity." The mech rumbled with a sneer. "That's exactly what I wanted to cause."

"Please… I don't-"

"Shut up!"

Focus flinched, once again reminded of the cold wall pressing up against his back. Nervously, his optics darted toward the open alley and the other mech smirked.

"Oh please run. I never got the chance to beat your _friend_ into scrap metal and I am just itching to dismantle someone." The mech said quietly.

"Ratchet? What- what did you do to him." Focus stammered, his previous anger forgotten in a rush.

"You'll find out in a klick if you don't tell me when he's supposed to be back." He growled.

"I don't know-"

The mech took a step forward with a growl and Focus once again pressed up against the wall.

"I swear I don't know when he gets back!" He yelled in a panic. "I swear I don't know!"

"Then give him a message for me." The mech growled, then lunged at Focus.

His sharp cry of alarm was masked by the roar of a massive engine as a solid black mass collided with the other mech in a crash of metal on metal. Focus jerked his helm up to watch as the massive black mech slammed the other mech against the wall with a deafening crash.

"Titan, I should tear you apart right now!" He snarled, pinning the mech against the wall at optic level.

"You have no right defending him!" The other mech spat. "He got my brother _terminated!_"

"Then take it out on Sterling, not a youngling half your size or Chrome!"

"Why do you defend that royal!"

With a near-deafening roar, the mech turned and threw the other down the alley. He collided with the ground with another ringing crash, rolling to his peds with a snarl and a short blade jutting from his bracer.

"He's part of my gang. And I _will _defend him. You attacked him and you nearly terminated Chrome." The black mech said lowly, his back to Focus as he stood between him and the other mech. "Do _not _push me."

The mech took a challenging step forward but then abruptly changed his mind, subspacing the wicked looking blade before turning and running down the alley.

"You didn't answer your comm." The black mech said abruptly, slowly turning to face Focus.

"Wha-what?" he stammered in confusion, staring up at the towering mech.

"Ratchet's been trying to get ahold of you all orn." The mech continued. "It's rude to ignore your friends."

"Wait Ratchet sent you?!" Focus squeaked, his vocal processor cracking.

"Yes. And it was a good thing I came." He said, turning to send a smoldering glare down the alleyway before those freaky red optics returned to Focus. "Unless you want to chance another run in with Titan, I suggest you come with me."

"With you?" Focus's voice rose another octave as the mech turned and walked down the alley in the direction the other mech had gone in.

"You can stay here if you want." The black mech called over his shoulder guard, pausing for a moment before continuing. Focus finally got back to his peds, his armor still standing on end.

"Wait!" He called out, taking a half step forward. Again the black mech paused, glancing over his shoulder guard with a single red optic.

"How… how do I know if I can trust you?" He asked.

"You don't. But if you insist, Ratchet is still trying to comm you." He rumbled.

"What?" Focus asked before noticing the new comm requests on his HUD.

**"Ratchet! What the frag is going on!" **He yelled over the comm.

**"Focus?! Where the pit are you!"**

**"Who the frag is that grey glitch that attacked me and who the frag is the giant black one that just threw him down the alley!"**

**"Oh Primus, he did go after you! Focus, I'm so sorry-"**

**"Who the frag is the other one!"** Focus yelled.

**"Oh! That's Carbon. You can trust him." **

**"Trust him?!"**

**"Please? Just come down to the medbay please? I'll- I'll explain everything but Chrome's hurt really bad and I can't leave."** Ratchet sounded desperate over the comm and Focus shot the black mech, Carbon, a look. He seemed decent enough and the mech did save him from being turned into an oil slick on the ground.

**"You had better explain _everything._" **He growled.

**"Fine. Just… don't do anything stupid and you'll be fine." **Ratchet said before he closed the comm.

"Coming?" Carbon asked.

"I… I guess." Focus stammered.

"Then keep up." He said simply before walking away.

xxXXxx

Ratchet glanced up sharply from where he was slowly repairing the damage to Chrome's shoulder joint when the doors slid open.

"Carbon! What happened!" He blurted when the black mech quietly walked in.

"I didn't off' him if that's what you're wondering." He said, glancing around the room. "Where's Sandstorm?"

"He went back up to the mine. Said something about beating the rookies in." Ratchet said with a shrug.

"You have got a pit of a lot of explain to do." Another familiar voice growled and Ratchet snapped his gaze over to where Focus slunk in the doors, sidestepping Carbon and putting as much space between the black miner and himself.

Ratchet winced at the reminder before sending the other young mech the datapack he had made half a joor earlier.

Focus's gaze went out of focus as he focused on the datafile.

"Wow." He said after a few tense, silent klicks. Ratchet had sent him everything that had happened since he was grabbed to how he had found Chrome leaking out in the alley.

"I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to freak out." Ratchet confessed, glancing at his friend before back to splicing a few wires back together.

"I did anyways." Focus deadpanned, crossing his arms over his chassis with a scowl.

"Sorry." Ratchet repeated, wincing under his friends gaze.

"Are you all right though?" Focus asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. A little shaken up but I'm fine." Ratchet replied.

"Am I ever going to be allowed to go home?" Focus asked and Ratchet couldn't help but wince again.

"Titan won't be back." Carbon spoke up and Focus jumped, spinning to face the quiet mech.

"No offense but are you sure?" Ratchet asked cautiously. The mech nodded, relaxing against the wall and crossing his servos.

"I have a pretty good feeling that he won't be bothering you anymore."

"Carbon you didn't-" Ratchet objected in alarm.

"I didn't do anything." Carbon interrupted with a dark smirk. "Not anything permanent."

"You threw him across the alley."

"That's normal." Ratchet muttered. "Sterling and Carbon scrap together all the time. Chrome hates it."

"Speaking of…" Carbon interrupted, nodding toward the prone medic.

"He's…" Ratchet trailed off, visibly slumping. "I don't know how Titan didn't terminate him. He severed what is probably the second biggest fuel line in his entire frame. And while pinching it off meant he didn't leak out, his systems were starved of fresh energon for almost three joors and I don't know what kind of damage that's going to do until he's online. But the fragger never recharges so I don't _want_ to bring him out of stasis!"

"And this is why I'm a miner, not a medic." Carbon said with a carefree smirk.

"Not to mention his armor is completely scrapped and that was _before _Titan nearly beat him offline with a pipe!" Ratchet continued. "And worse of all! Sandstorm was almost _nice _to me!"

Carbon was openly grinning now even as Focus's gaze kept bouncing between the two mechs in confusion.

"Carbon, I think I need to hit something." Ratchet finally said, glaring at the grinning black miner.

"There's a reason the back room in the workshop's so dented. We're not always around for him to beat on." Carbon replied.

"Wait, what?!" Focus stammered in alarm.

"Again, normal." Carbon said with an almost cheeky smirk and getting a concerned look from Focus.

"All in an orns work." Ratchet continued, also grinning at his friend before he darkened his optics and started welding the gash in Chrome's shoulder.

"Oh Primus, you are mad." He heard Focus mutter over the crackle of the welding torch. As soon as he finished he glanced back up to see Focus slumped in the chair he had vacated and Carbon still leaning against the wall, optics dim as he relaxed.

"I'm gonna go see how Axil's doing. He's been working for three joors now." Ratchet said quietly.

"Who?" Focus asked, perking up even as Carbon's optics brightened again.

"He repairs our armor." Ratchet said as double checked Chrome again, before heading outside.

"How? I mean he's- Whoa!"

Focus jumped back in shock as Axil's forge surged up with a roar of fire. Axil in turn jumped in alarm at the loud yell and spun around, almost dropping a red hot piece of metal back into the forge as it instantly died.

"Sweet Primus Ratchet!" Axil sputtered, shoving the black visor out of the way as he gently set the glowing metal aside.

"Sorry, forgot to warn him." Ratchet said sheepishly as he put a servo on a wide optic Focus.

"I'll say." The dark grey miner grumbled, noticeably tenser than usual. "How's Chrome?"

"He's stable. I think I'll let his systems rest for now, probably bring him out of it next orn. Just wanted to see how you were fairing." Ratchet replied, stepping forward.

To his relief, Axil relaxed, his tight armor settling as he snorted air from his vents.

"Lousy." He growled, glaring darkly at the armor piece. "I forgot how horrible acid stains are to work with. No wonder he never let me repair the stuff before, I'll be here for orns."

"Is there any way to speed it up?" Ratchet asked.

"No. Well. Technically yes." Axil stammered, avoiding Ratchet's questioning gaze before shooting a deliberate look at Focus.

**"What do you need?" **Ratchet repeated over a private comm.

**"Fastest way is getting an entire armor set and I'll form it to Chrome's frame." **

**"What will it take to get that?"**

**"Another visit to the Market. Problem is…"** Axil trailed off again before gusting another sigh. **"We can't afford it. Yeah I know Chrome usually keeps some credits hidden around somewhere but it will cost a fortune. Far more then what he can afford to spare."**

**"So what's the other option?"**

**"I do it the hard way and build it from scratch." **He said with a helpless shrug. **"Raw metal is far easier to get and it's much cheaper. It just takes…"**

**"Time."** Ratchet supplied and the dark grey miner nodded. **"How much time?"**

**"Few groons at best."** Axil replied.

"I guess do what you can, we can worry about what needs to be fully replaced later." Ratchet said out loud as Focus continued to glare at him.

"Oh, that's easy." Axil said with a grin. "Easiest thing yet. Both shoulder guards and most of his back plating. Chest piece will need some serious work, and most of his abdominal slips will need to be built from scratch because Titan shoved that pipe though him."

"And you can _do _that?" Focus stammered in surprise. Axil immediately tensed, his armor flaring in slight aggression at the disbelieving tone.

"Axil's a genius." Ratchet said, hoping to smooth things over before the usually calm mech got too offended. "Mech can repair anything."

Axil shook his helm with a grin, relaxing again as he turned his gaze back to Ratchet.

"Not quite. But almost." He clarified, reaching for the still hot metal again. "Making big fire now." He added sarcastically, shooting Focus a look before flipping the tinted visor back down and stepping on the pedal. The forge roared up again and Focus took a nervous step back as he got back to work.

"Come on, the sooner he gets finished the better for everyone." Ratchet said, gently tugging his roommate back around the front of the building.

* * *

**Not totally happy with the ending of this chapter, but i do know is that a crazy, ridiculous idea was sparked because of it. Hopefully it will turn out as well as i hope it will and ill post that as part of a soon-to-exist chapter. **

**See you guys next week (hopefully) and CROSS YOUR FINGERS I CATCH A STUPID FISH!**** (i am a lousy fisher-woman...)  
**

**Don't forget to Read and Review, love you guys and see you soon!**

**... and i officially give up in the spell check on this site. Wow it's weird...**


	14. Pressure

**I'M ALIVE!**

**well, my ideas are anyways... wow that sucked. Ok, important note at the end.**

**Reviews!**

**Child of John snow: When does he ever not do something stupid? And I'm not telling about Chrome!**

**Guest: Yes yes, working on it. Just going though a crazy hectic month.**

**TheDarkestCon: Yeah! 100 reviews! I completely forgot we were that close. I've been busy... yeesh... As for the plotline, i was supposed to get back onto the original with some minor tweaks and a lot of detail, but then i got a crazy good idea so the next chapter is back off track and in the middle of nowhere. heh heh. Oh well, i thought it was a great idea. **

**Guest: I'm glad you're hooked. This was supposed to be a much smaller fic, but then i got to excited and...well... it got big. **

**Adiwinotos: I'm glad you liked it. The whole point of this re-write, as annoying as it is, was to develop everyone better and give me a chance to fix plot mistakes. So far, i think it so good. **

**Answerthecall:Glad you like it so far. And it's only gonna get tenser. Hee hee...**

**Guest:Yes, he defiantly will. I jsut have a hundred and one other things i need to cover before i jump back on that bandwagon. Hopefully within the next few chapters that will come up. **

**Sunstreaker's Squishy: Yes, the 'Apprenticeship' part is new. Pretty much what i have planned for this fic is a trilogy with the first of 'The Medical Journals' series being called 'Apprenticeship' **

**Guest: Because I'm 100 and 10 percent evil writer. You'll very quickly figure out the more i like a character, cannon or OC, the meaner i am to them. And Chrome is one of my favorite. **

**HeartsGuardianSol: Sometimes, i seriously wish they would sell bug spray in bulk. like 5 gallon pails bulk. Oh well, one can wish. Sorry bout the unintended vacation... my muse took of on me.**

**SoulGlitch: huh,I should try that one. Brainstorming! HA! try braindead... good grief. I did catch fish at my friends though. **

* * *

"Look who made it back in one piece." Ironlock teased as Sterling stalked into the mine the next orn.

"Yeah yeah yeah, Ah said Ah can do ah trip and not get off'ed in tah processes." Sterling grumbled, not in the mood for the usual friendly banter.

"Naw, that ain't it." A new voice, but one he recognised instantly, said and Sterling spun to face the mech. "Somebody got fragged last orn."

"Impactor?!" Sterling stammered in shock, staring at the grinning miner as howls of laughter and catcalls greeted the miner's statement. "How tah frag are ya still functional?! And watch ya language 'bout mah femme!"

"I could say the same of you mech. So ya finally bonded to that crazy femme?" Impactor countered with a laugh, walking over and gripping Sterling's bracer in greeting. "How the frag did you end up here?"

"Good an' bad luck. Carmine keeps meh in line." He replied with a grin before scowling darkly at the other miner. "An' wha' ya mean she finally bonded tah meh?"

"Can't believe Carmine turned down this frame." Impactor said with a grin, waving a servo over his own scuffed up frame. Sterling grinned, shaking his helm before he lunged forward and slugged the mech. He held back his strength, knocking the mech a good one instead of breaking his jaw and Impactor grinned, easily ducking the half-sparked blow before once again, lunging and tackling the other miner.

"What in Primus are you doing now?" Dusty demanded, walking up with his servos on his hip bolts and a scowl on his faceplates.

Sterling paused from where he had Impactor pinned to the ground, just about to grind his faceplates into the dirt.

"Ya didn' tell meh tha' Impactor was commin' 'ere!" Sterling objected, still pinning the other mech.

"You didn't ask. Now get off of him so that both of you can get back to work. Oh, and I need to talk to you alone." Dusty said.

With an exaggerated groan, Sterling finally released the other miner, getting up and stumbling as Impactor shoved him one last time for good measure.

"Wha' ya need Dusty?" Sterling asked, following his boss outside.

"Two things." Dusty said, waving the mech further away from the mine entrance. Confused, Sterling followed him a ways away.

"First off, this." He said, subspacing a deep blue crystal the length of his bracer and handing it to Sterling. He didn't need his advanced sensors to know that the thing was rich with energon. Hesitantly he took it and instantly knew that it was rated at ninety-eight percent. Some of the purest energon he'd seen in a long time.

"Where did ya get this?" He asked in surprise, sensors buzzing at the thing's raw power. "An' why wasn' it on mah trailer? Copper would 'ave blown ah fuse seein' something like this."

"Because it's where Ratchet found it that's got me nervous." Dusty explained. "He pulled that out of that big crack on that shear face."

"When was this?"

"Before you were attacked. I was going to ask you about that but you went and got thrown off a cliff." Dusty replied.

Sterling winced at the reminder before straitening in confusion.

"Wait, ya said it was _in_ tah crack?!" Sterling asked in surprise.

"Yeah."

"Ow tah frag did it end up in there?"

"It was wedged." Dusty said. "Like it had been tossed."

Sterling felt his armor flare in alarm at what the other miner was hinting at.

"You always did say that the drillers hadn't been wiped out." Dusty said, gesturing toward the crystal again. "Think it's possible that cavern had a lot purer crystal at one point?"

"Course it's possible." Sterling replied instantly. "This range was known fo' 'ow energon rich it was."

"Then what are the chances that thing stuck around?" Dusty asked.

Instantly every scan Sterling had ever taken of the mine flashed through his processor and he let the hunter coding pour over the scans looking for any marks on the raw metal he might have missed. With the hunter coding in control, he started seeing the all too familiar gouges in the metal.

"It cleaned out the cavern and somehow a shard off a bigger crystal got wedged in that crack." Dusty said. "The ground settled like it always does and the broken off crystals started to grow again. Would explain why they're at a poorer quality than most mines."

"There's no way tha' thing could still beh around." Sterling insisted, his servo itching to rub the deep scars over his spark. But doing so would instantly betray just how nervous he actually was.

"You've said so yourself. Drillers can live their whole lives underground and never breach the surface." Dusty added, servos crossed over his chassis.

Sterling remained silent, a million thoughts racing though his helm. All of them involving jagged sharp, gear-like forms tearing through metal and mechs and the walls sprayed with energon. The coding surged up again and he forced it back down.

"If there's ah driller 'round 'ere Ah'll find it." Sterling said, forcing his voice to remain calm.

"That's the other thing I wanted to talk to you about." Dusty said.

"What."

"You activated that coding."

Sterling held his ground even though he almost flinched at the direct accusation.

"Ah don't know wha' ya talking' about." Sterling bluffed even though he knew that Dusty could see right through him.

"I know you activated it Sterling, I can tell right now you're fighting with it." Dusty growled. "Don't you _dare_ lie to my face."

"Ah'm fine Dusty."

"Like frag you are." Dusty spat. "You're a walking time bomb."

"Ah've 'ad this codin' most o' mah life Dusty, Ah can control it." Sterling snapped.

"Just like when you stabbed Backtrack?"

"Ah did tha' cause 'ee 'urt one o' mah gang. Ya would 'ave done tah same thing."

"You're going to get that coding removed." Dusty growled.

"Wha- Dusty!" Sterling objected, rearing back.

"Chrome said he locked it down and that there was no way that coding could have accidently triggered." Dusty interrupted. "You've become a threat to everyone!"

"Ah'm not some rookie younglin' tha' can't control mahself!" Sterling snarled, feeling the coding buck again. Abruptly Dusty dropped his arms to his side, taking a step back in alarm.

"You deliberately activated it." He said in horror.

"And?"

"You had _no right_ putting every mech here in danger!"

"Ah said Ah can control it!" Sterling yelled.

Dusty flared his armor, his deep red optics locked on Sterling's eerie white ones.

"You are getting that coding removed as soon as Chrome is up." Dusty growled. "That's an order."

Sterling didn't reply for a klick.

"Wha' ya mean as soon as Chrome's up? Wha's wrong?" He asked abruptly, optics darting to catch Dusty's. The red mech's armor rippled in alarm.

"Somethin' 'appened while Ah was gone." Sterling growled, taking a step forward. . "Wha' 'appened!"

"Another mech attacked Chrome. Carbon dealt with it, and you don't need to get involved." Dusty said carefully.

"Oo did it!" Sterling demanded.

"I said it's none of you concern, it's been dealt with." Dusty repeated, flaring his armor in aggression. "I've had a rough three orns Sterling, please do not push me."

Sterling backed off finally, remembering that he trusted the mech for a reason.

"Alright." He said. "Ah'll leave it alone."

"Ratchet says that Chrome will be fine." Dusty continued. "Feel free to head down there if you want but I want you back up here with in the joor."

"Yessir." Sterling mumbled, avoiding the other mech's optics.

xxXXxx

"**Ratchet."**

Said mech hummed in acknowledgment, turning his helm to shove it back into the crock of his crossed arms.

"**Ratchet!"**

Groggily he raised his helm, optics refocusing in silver grey protoform.

Chrome. He'd fallen into recharge leaning on Chrome's berth.

He sat up abruptly, shaking his helm as his systems automatically synced with the monitors hooked up to Chrome.

"**Ratchet!"**

His gaze slid to where Focus was laying on his chassis on a berth, helm resting on folded arms.

"What?" He asked, hissing quietly as a wicked kink in his neck cables pulled.

"**Keep it down!" ** He roommate hissed, pale blue optics darting to where a black figure was pressed into the corner, massive arms crossed over his chassis and his helm tipped forward. Air gusted quietly from the huge mech and Ratchet returned his attention back to Focus.

"**What about Carbon?"** He asked.

"**Has he seriously been there all night?"**

"**Probably? Why?"**

"**That mech seriously freaks me out." **

Ratchet chuckled, slowly getting to his peds and hissing again as more cables pulled in his frame.

"Ow."

The quiet statement caused a growl to come from the black mech and his helm snapped up, red optics flaring to alertness as his armor subconsciously flared.

"What." He demanded instantly, also straightening with a wince.

"Sorry, stiff." Ratchet said with an apologetic shrug as he ran a quick scan over his mentor.

Fuel levels were back up, internal systems stable, welds and wire splices integrating at a normal rate. Fuel pump still offline…

"How is he?" Carbon asked, also hissing in discomfort as he straightened from his slouch against the wall, joints popping loudly.

"Doing a lot better." Ratchet said as Focus sat up on the berth he had crashed on instead of returning to the apartment. "All his systems are normal-"

"His core temperature is too high though." Focus interrupted, sliding off the berth to walk up beside Ratchet. "Why's it so high?"

"Everyone around here runs hot." Ratchet said with a shrug. "I've noticed that when they come up from underground they all run a couple degrees hotter than normal. Chrome said that it was selion poisoning that caused it."

"What's selion?" Focus asked.

"A toxic, explosive, gas." Carbon answered.

"You're joking." Focus deadpanned, glaring at Ratchet. "There's the chance you'll explode?"

"Only if the ceiling starts hissing." Ratchet replied with a shrug.

"I'm gonna off' him!"

"What was that?" Focus asked in surprise as Carbon stiffened.

"That was Axil." Carbon replied, giving Ratchet a confused look.

"I'll go see what he wants." Ratchet said with a shrug.

"I just might come with you…" Carbon muttered, trailing after Ratchet as he left.

"Axil, everything all right?" Ratchet asked, walking around the side of the building.

"I swear to Primus I will off' Chrome as soon as he's functional!" The dark grey mech snarled, slamming a fisted servo onto his work table with a loud crash. Broken shards of metal bounded into the air from the blow.

"Is that-?" Ratchet asked, recognising the rust colored metal underneath the black soot from the forge.

'"Yes!" Axil snarled. "The fraggin glitch waited too long for me to fix his armor and now I don't know if I can do anything about it."

"What's wrong with it…?" Ratchet asked carefully, sensing the beginnings of a rant.

"The acid's absorbed into his armor." Axil said, shifting his stance just enough that Ratchet could see the exhausted look on his faceplates.

"Did you stay up all night working on that?" Ratchet asked in alarm.

"Yes." He grumbled. "And it's a good thing too. His armors shot to pit and there's nothing I can do about it."

"Just because of those scars?" Carbon asked in confusion.

"What do you know about acid rain?" Axil countered, turning to fully face them.

"Don't get caught in it." Carbon deadpanned and Ratchet smirked.

"It's corrosive. Unless you get if off with a neutralizing agent it will continued to corrode the armor even after it's been rinsed off." He supplied when Axil gave the black mech a flat look.

"Exactly. The other trick that I figured out is that if you heat it up enough, you can burn that slag out. Unless it gets as bad as what Chrome has, then there's nothing I can do with this scrap. Even the scraplets wouldn't touch this slag." Axil continued with a groan. "I didn't realise at first how bad it was. Most of his armor is effected and it will take groons to make this all from scratch."

"So we're back to square one." Ratchet said.

"Yes-"

"_Ratchet_!"

A deafening bellow shook the air and Ratchet spun to the medbay in alarm even as Focus stammered and sputtered over his comm. in terror.

"Aw frag, that was Sterling!" Carbon hissed before bolting around the building with Axil hot behind him. It took half a nano-klick to realise why they had freaked out before Ratchet caught on. Focus was an Elite like himself.

"Slag." He hissed, bolting after them and bursting into the medbay just in time for Carbon to grab Sterling's bracer and physically haul the miner back.

"That's the roommate!" Carbon barked as Focus cowered in the corner, his armor standing on edge and his optics huge.

"Why tah frag is 'ee 'ere!" Sterling demanded, trying to jerk out of Carbon's grasp with a snarl.

"Because I told him to come." Ratchet snapped and Sterling spun to him with a low growl.

"Wha' tah frag 'appened while Ah was gone." He growled, jerking his bracer free and giving Carbon a scathing look that the black miner was more than happy to return. "Dusty just told meh tha' Chrome got 'ttacked an' tha' it'd been taken care of."

"Pretty much yeah." Ratchet agreed, walking around the simmering miner to stand beside Focus.

"I swear I didn't do anything." He stammered, optics darting to Ratchet before back to Sterling.

"That's fine, he just hates royals." Ratchet said with a shrug.

"Royals?"

"Pretty much anyone that's higher than they are in the caste system."

"So they despise you."

"Did." Sterling snapped, glaring at the mech with burning white optics. Ratchet glared up at the mech before shoving him, forcing Sterling to drop his optics away from Focus to glare at the yellow apprentice.

"What." He demanded.

"Leave him alone Sterling, Titan-" He cut himself off in horror as Sterling spun to Carbon with a savage snarl.

"_Titan_ did this?!" He spat.

"Leave it be Sterling. I already dealt with him." Carbon growled lowly, his armor flaring a few inches.

"The' why don't Ah finish tah job." Sterling snarled, taking a deliberate step forward to challenge the bigger mech. Carbon also stepped forward, bulling into the other mech easily and forcing him back a step.

"Because we don't need any more energon-shed then what's already happened." Carbon said, letting his engine rumble in warning. "Ratchet was also attacked and Chrome nearly terminated."

"Ya nev'a did 'ave tah nerve tah finish it!" Sterling spat, shifting his peds apart. Carbon's engine rose to a high pitch and Ratchet saw the instant that a dangerous snarl started to form on the black miner's faceplates.

"Take it outside!" Ratchet yelled at the two mechs even as Axil took a nervous step back to put more distance between himself and the silver and black miners.

"Excuse us them." Carbon growled before grabbing Sterling's shoulder guard and throwing him through the doors.

xxXXxx

Carbon walked out after he had tossed the other mech, his armor flared in a deliberate challenge as Sterling got back to his peds with a snarl.

"Tah frag is wrong with ya!" He demanded.

"I could ask you the same thing _Sterling_." Carbon spat, red optics locked on the other miner's white ones. "Since when are you so desperate to see another miner offline."

"Since that fraggin pit-spawn wen' aft'a Ratchet twice, then nearly off'ed Chrome!" Sterling spat. "Those two 'ave been 'arrassin' us long befo' ya ev'a got transferred 'ere."

"So what, this is revenge then?" Carbon asked, fighting to keep his temper under control. "Revenge for nearly terminating Dusty?"

"Ah've 'ad it with those two, it's about tah they got wha' they deserved." Sterling hissed. Carbon was silent for a moment

"Did you terminate Backtrack." He demanded.

"Does it matt'a?" Sterling sneered.

"What do you think."

Sterling glared at him, refusing to respond.

"I think you don't have as much control of that coding as you claim you do." Carbon said levelly. "I think you're a threat and a-"

"Oh fo' fraggin' sakes Carbon Ah got it under control!" Sterling yelled, spinning away from the other miner with a furious snarl. "Ah don't need ya o' anyone else sparklin' sittin' meh! Dusty already gave meh tah same slag."

"Did you terminate Backtrack." Carbon repeated.

Sterling turned to glare at him, faceplates twisted into a sneer.

"Ah should 'ave." He snarled, starting to pace again. "Ah should 'ave bu' Ah didn't. Ya 'appy? Those fraggin' Elite Guards got 'im first. And Ah can promise ya this, 'it would 'ave been faster then what Ah would 'ave done tah 'im. 'Ee's nearly terminated three oh mah gang an' Ah will not sit by an' watch."

"That's the coding talking and you know it. The Sterling I knew would never slaughter a mech like that." Carbon said, still watching the agitated mech.

"Then maybe ya don't know meh!" Sterling snarled.

"You're right." Carbon said quietly." Maybe I don't."

He deliberately turned away from the mech, knowing just how mad that would make him.

"Don't ya dare turn ya back on meh!" sterling spat and Carbon heard him take a step forward.

"You know Sterling, maybe what they say about your kind is true." Carbon said simply. He knew that the mech needed to vent and that was exactly what it took. "May be you should have been recalled."

With a roar of anger Sterling lunged at him and Carbon easily spun, knocking the smaller mech aside where he crashed to the ground.

"Wha, ya think Ah should jus' beh shot like tah others?!" He spat. "Ya think Ah'm just some primitive killer?!"

"I know what your kind is capable of." Carbon hissed, watching the way the other mech's armor rippled. "I worked in Kaon my whole life Sterling, I've seen more of your kind than anyone. I've _terminated_ more of them then-"

With a yell Sterling attacked him again and Carbon easily pared the blow, ignoring how the mech's blade bit into his bracer. He knew that as long as it was just the two of them Sterling didn't stand a chance against his heavy armor and he used it to his advantage.

With practised ease he twisted his arm to the side, forcing Sterling off balance and ripped the blade off his bracer. Still keeping a firm grip on his arm and easily snagging the other, he forced Sterling to his knee bolts, towering over the other mech. Sterling snarled in pain as he tried to get free, white optics glowing unnaturally bright as his armor continued to ripple.

"You're out of control." Carbon said with a low growl. "This isn't you Sterling. It's that pit spawn coding again."

"Ah'm fine." Sterling spat back, once again struggling to break free.

"You're my friend Sterling, don't make me put you down." Carbon said quietly, slowly loosening his grip and unable to hide the way his engine whined in stress.

The soft noise seemed to catch the silver mech's attention and he froze before breaking free and scrambling away. He shook his helm sharply, subspacing his blades to grasp his helm.

"Carbon Ah didn't-" He stammered, shaking his helm again as if he was disoriented.

But then again, shutting down those sensors would make you feel like you had gone deaf and blind.

"What the frag has you yelling for another mech's energon." Carbon demanded. "We've both lost friends and family Sterling and I've never seen you lose control like this."

Sterling flinched, his optics dropping away as his armor flared in an odd mixture of shame and anger.

"There- there was another riot." He said quietly as he released a shuddering vent. "In…. in Staxus. 'Forcer's opened fire an' jus' shot 'em all. It was ah fraggin' massacre."

"Oh Primus…" Carbon breathed, feeling his own armor flare in alarm. "Did you…?"

"Know 'em? Yeah. Ah knew 'em well." Sterling said, his engine whining in stress. "Worked with ah few o' 'em befo'-"

He cut himself off with a hiss, his armor abruptly flattening tight against his frame. "Ya know."

"The coding."

Sterling mutely nodded, his previous anger visibly leaving his too tense frame in a rush.

"Then for Primus' sake, go home already." Carbon said quietly, finally relaxing his stance. The mech he knew was back. "Go spend more time with Carmine. We got new mechs so we'll function without you for a few orns."

Carbon almost missed the whispered comment the silver miner made and it took him a nearly a klick to process what he had said.

"_Who _hit Carmine?!"

"Someone at tah bar." Sterling mumbled, his armor tightening again. "Some Elite mechs got overcharged."

"Ya glitch! Then why the frag are you here?!" Carbon bellowed.

Sterling flinched back but didn't say anything.

"Get you're shiny silver aft back on that property of your's and be with her." Carbon growled, jabbing a black digit in the general direction of the other mech's home. "You and Dusty are the only mechs around here with mates so you had _better _go be with her before I hurt you."

"Bu-"

"Sterling, I swear to Primus you open that mouth of yours again and I'm shoving my fist down your throat." Carbon threatened, taking a menacing step toward the silver mech. Sterling took a step back, servos raised in surrender.

"Ah'm goin' Ah'm goin'." He said taking another step back before folding down into his alt mode and peeling out back up the road.

Carbon watched the mech leave as his entire frame slumped. Miners with hunter coding were a threat to everyone and Sterling would not be the first mech he had been forced to get rid of. His spark twisted painfully at the energon soaked memories of the horrible things he had done and seen. He had tried to avoid becoming close to anyone for that exact reason of he never knew when they would terminate in the hazardous landscape of the old smelting pits and energon mines that made Kaon famous.

But Dusty and the others had grown on him as much as he hated to admit it and he and Sterling were closer than brothers.

He knew far too many mechs that had broken under the strain of losing friends and family and yet he still remained firm.

But if he had to eliminate Sterling because the mech finally lost what weak grip he had on his sanity, it would break him without a doubt.

All he could do was hope that the time never came and that Chrome would be able to help the silver mech before he had to put a bullet in his helm.

xxXXxx

"What in pit was that all about?" Focus asked in alarm after the two mechs abruptly" left.

"I swear I have no idea." Axil replied, staring wide optic at where the two mechs were having an obvious stare down.

"I overheard Chrome and Dusty talking something about hunter coding." Ratchet put in, casually moving across the medbay to look outside. Sterling was pacing like some kind of beast, his armor rippling in waves like something was wrong with his frame.

"Hunter coding?" Axil asked in surprise.

"Yeah, I've never heard of it. What is it?" Ratchet asked, glancing back at the dark grey mech.

"It um… I don't know what it all does but I've heard horror stories about the stuff." Axil explained with a shrug. "I think it was some kind of experimental coding. It was supposed to enhance a mech's senses. Or something like that. Apparently it backfired and the coding became destructive. A lot of mechs terminated because the coding destroyed their processors."

"What?" Ratchet asked in horror as Focus gaped.

"But that was metacycls ago. Nobody's tried something like that since then." Axil quickly assured them, but then jumped when Sterling attacked Carbon and the black mech easily knocked the other aside. "Sterling's just a violent mech by nature. The glitch is from Polyhexian territory and _everyone _knows they've all got a few wires loose up there." He added, tapping the side of his helm with a smirk.

Ratchet didn't look convinced and Axil shrugged.

"Like I said, that kinda stuffs long been extinct." He said, wincing again when Carbon pinned the other miner. "And I think Sterling's been wanting to hit something for a while now. You already know he is a bit of a violent prone mech."

"True that." Ratchet muttered, refocusing in time to see Sterling finally stand down, shaking his helm like he was dizzy or something. "He's had a rough few cycles."

"Well if those two are done trying to terminate each other, I'm gonna get back to work." Axil said quietly as Sterling backed off and transformed, driving away. A moment later Axil walked outside and Focus spun on Ratchet.

"You lied." He said bluntly. "He's not stable. They may not be able to read a fuel pressure monitor but I can."

Ratchet winced, turning away from his roommate and facing the stasis locked Chrome.

"Yeah he is stable." Ratchet said. "As long as he stays on life support…"

He trailed off miserably to watch the way two thick fluid lines trailed out of Chrome chassis as they flexed with the energon flowing through them. "His fuel pump shorted out on the way back. Probably wrecked it when he had to block that fuel line that got severed."

"You got a spare?" Focus asked.

"No." Ratchet replied. "If mechs have internal damage like this, they don't make it. Bedside's I looked last night."

"You're kidding, you can actually find stuff back there?" Focus asked in surprise, throwing a look over his shoulder guard at the work area.

"Yeah. It's all organised in a way." Ratchet said with a shrug.

"So where are you going to get a new fuel pump?" Focus asked.

"I guess you don't carry them around in subspace?"

Focus gave him an unamused look and Ratchet shrugged.

"Legitimate question."

"Har har har. You're funny."

Ratchet shot him a smirk before turning serious again.

"I don't know what to do Focus. I… I never thought that I would be on my own like this so soon." He said quietly.

"Ratchet, for Primus sake, you're smart!" Focus objected. "You're the smartest mech that I know, you're already working on mechs by yourself!"

"Chrome's always there though…." Ratchet mumbled.

"Yeah and?"

"What do you mean and?" Ratchet asked.

"Exactly that. Ratch, you're more than capable of figuring it out." Focus assured him, gently resting his servo on Ratchet's shoulder guard. "He's in good servos."

He shuddered.

"And none of the mechs I've seen here seem willing to trust anyone with one of their own." He added.

"We're all brothers here." Ratchet replied, giving Focus a knowing smile.

"We?"

"Well, some are more accepting of me than others. Some are still leery of me but at least not everyone is growling at me." Ratchet continued with a grin.

"Don't tell me that." Focus said, letting his servo slid off of Ratchet. "Just… just don't tell me that kind of stuff."

"And if I get attacked again?" Ratchet asked sheepishly.

"Yes, fraggit, tell me _that_." Focus snapped. "You need at least someone to worry about your health because you sure don't."

"Sorry."

"Oh, on a side note of not telling each other things…" Focus trailed off.

"Yeah?"

"I… got a job a cycle ago." He said finally.

"Focus, that's great!" Ratchet said with a grin, taking a step toward his friend.

"You're not mad that I didn't tell you?"

"I knew you were mad at me." Ratchet continued with a wince. "Kinda doesn't surprise me that you wouldn't tell me."

"Yeah just, if you get into trouble like that again, _tell me?_ Please?" Focus begged.

"Hopefully there won't be a next time." Ratchet said, glancing at Focus with a shrug.

"I'll see you at home then." Focus said with a bob of his helm before turning and leaving.

"I'll see you then." Ratchet called after him before turning back to the unconscious medic.

The medic needed a fuel pump before he would come online and he desperately needed new armor. And there was only one place that he knew of that he could get both.

With a low sigh he double checked the monitors before walking outside to where Axil was still cursing the medic.

"Axil!" He yelled in-between hammer blows and the dark grey mech turned to him, flipping the dark visor he wore out of the way. "Can you watch Chrome for a few joors? I need to go get somethings."

Axil gave him a cautions look.

"You're talking about the Market ain't you." Axil asked. "Ratchet, we can't afford a lot. Yeah sure we pool our credits so that if something does happen Chrome can pay off that glitch but-"

"I know. But Chrome needs a new fuel pump before he'll online and that's the only place I know of that I can get one right a ways." Ratchet interrupted.

Axil still didn't look convinced though but after a nano-klick he sighed.

"Yeah… yeah I'll watch him."

"You can practise writing while you're at it." Ratchet added with a smirk and after a moment Axil finally returned the smile. "I'll be back later this orn."

"You hope." Axil muttered.

"I'll be fine." Ratchet assured him as he walked away. "What's the worst that could happen?"

xxXXxx

Axil glanced up when Ratchet slunk into the medbay late that evening. He immediately sensed something was wrong and his armor started to flare subconsciously.

"Ratchet? What's wrong?" He asked, straightening from his hunched over position as he worked on his writing. He set the datapad back in subspace to stand and face the apprentice. "Where have you been all orn?"

"The armor will be here in two orns." Ratchet said quietly, his entire frame rigid with massive amounts of tension and stress.

"Wha- wait, what?" Axil stammered in confusion. "Armor, you mean Chrome's armor? But how did you- where did you get the credits? We can't afford that kinda stuff, I told you that-"

"It didn't cost credits." Ratchet snapped, glaring at the miner with burning blue optics. Axil reared back in confusion and surprise.

"Then what-"

"You'll get your armor for Chrome and that's all that matters." Ratchet interrupted, walking toward the cabinets and pulling a drawer open.

"How did-"

"It doesn't matter!" Ratchet snapped, slamming the drawer closed. "It- it doesn't matter anymore. I dealt with it and it's on its way here."

Axil didn't miss the way Ratchet's vents hitched nor the way the mech slipped a bottle of liquid into his subspace. He chose to ignore both and instead focused on the yellow mech's trembling frame.

"Ratch-"

"Can you just leave? Please?" Ratchet cut in again. "I- I need to do things and I don't need anyone hovering or getting in my way."

Shocked and confused at the abrupt dismissal Axil nodded, that feeling of wrongness getting stronger.

"Yeah…" He mumbled finally, taking a step toward the door. "Yeah, I'll go."

Axil froze as a low, choked off sob escaped the apprentice and he turned back to see Ratchet leaning heavily on the counter, his frame trembling. After hesitating a moment, and against his better judgment, he finally turned and left.

* * *

**Ok, here's the deal.  
**

**The next three weeks is gonna be absolute ridiculous. Like, no sleep let alone typing for three weeks crazy. **

**I have a family gathering sunday. i have to finish cosplay costumes for the weekend when Wednesday and Thursday evening I'm busy. Friday me and my friend are heading out, Sunday im sleeping because we sure as heck wont be doing any on the weekend. the following week i might actally be able to type but dont cross your fingers because I'll be doing a heck of a lot of shopping. Then, that weekend, I'm going camping, then as soon as i come back, I'm going to visit family in another province. THEN I come back from that and I'm freaking MOVING OUT! talk about stressful. so, i will try and type when i can but i have absolutely no idea when i will be posting next.**


	15. Price

**So can we all agree that that was an awesome cliff hanger? :D right? maybe? no? OK fine...**

**Oh, and just to clarify for any further "questionable moments" (just cause those can be fun to write and usually involve high grade) i don't write slash. I've been asked before and yes in my universe transformers have genders, so no mech on mech.**

**REVIEWS!**

**InterstellarGazer: Im so glad that you like it so much. I love getting reviews, it just makes MY life was better. **

**Simple12: I'm glad that you like it so far. I'm defiantly having a blast with this. **

**Vodid: No, nothing that bad. Just.. something that bad just in a different direction.**

**Guest: Yes, something really bad. Well, depends on your opinion of 'bad'.**

**Answerthecall: Hee hee, something bad. Evil authoress, evil authoress... hee hee...  
**

**Sunstreaker's Squishy: Yes you get to fins out. No, nothing like that. Awful yes, but not that kind of awful. **

**HeartsGuardianSol: Yes, what did he do... what did he do... better yet, what did _I _make him do...?**

**Graceful-rain: Yes, that's the whole point of a rewrite. To make things WAY better then before. Believe me, i take no offense to that at all. I'm glad that people notice the difference. I'd have issues if they didn't notice.**

**Child of Jon snow: Yes i remembered to post. It's still Sunday here. **

**Ok, first off, (ha ha) i haven't written a disclaimer at all. Oops.**

**2211Nighthawk does not own transformers, only her OC's. **

**Secondly, i have MJ:A rated at a high T kinda deal. This chapter pushes it. Not quite M rated, but depending how squeamish you are, it might possibly be that high. **

**You have been warned. **

**So! Off to the fun torture scene I've been dying to write for the last two months!**

* * *

Ratchet's entire frame trembled as another quiet cry escaped his control. His engine whined in stress and his armor was pulled as tight against his frame as physically possible, to the point that it hurt. But the physical pain was nothing compared to what was going on in his processor.

His ethic and medical coding were going crazy as he tried to reason with himself while at the same time, he could deny the horrors he had just done. The fuel pump in his subspace felt like molten iron as the very fact of it being there was enough for another stab of pain to spike though his processor as his coding twisted.

Turning slowly, he faced his unconscious mentor and felt his frame heat with shame. His legs finally gave out on him and he sank to the ground, his back against the counters as he dropped his helm onto his raised knee bolts with a quiet sob.

While he had washed the energon from his servos back in that- that _place_, he knew he would never be able to get rid of the feeling of that un-known mech withering under his servos.

"What have I done?"

ooOOoo

A few joors earlier

ooOOoo

Ratchet transformed a few block away from the old warehouse. Settling his armor he walked toward it, remembering Chrome's words about looking like you belong.

This time when the guard grabbed his shoulder guard he met the mech's red optics with his own level blue ones.

"Where do ya-"

"I'm here for Arachnid." Ratchet interrupted, jerking his arm free of the mech. "And I suggest you don't keep me waiting."

The mech growled lowly but Ratchet ignored him as he deliberately spun away, walking toward the door. To his utter relief, the guard didn't follow him and he slipped into the empty warehouse without any problem.

He found the hidden switch to the lift and walked in, gasping for air that he hadn't realised he had held in. The words 'don't terminate' were on repeat in his processor as the lift started to drop. All too soon the doors slid open and he stepped into the crowd.

There were far less beings then last time and he felt the stares as he carefully made his way toward Arachnid's office. Just as he was about to knock, a servo grabbed his bracer, preventing him from lifting his arm.

"Not a good idea mech." The familiar voice said and Ratchet turned to face Swindle.

"Ratchet?! What are ya doing here?" Swindle demanded in surprise.

"I need to talk to Arachnid and soon." He said, standing his ground.

"Not ah good idea. She's in ah mood." Swindle said before grinning brightly. "What do ya need though? Perhaps I can help you instead."

"I'd prefer Arachnid." He said before abruptly spinning and knocking on the door.

"Not good mech, not good." Swindle stammered, taking a deliberate step away from the door.

"What!" A femme's voice yelled and Ratchet's armor flared in sudden fear. "Swindle I swear to Primus-"

The door slid open with a bang as Arachnid all but threw the door open, bright purple optics glowing with anger. Ratchet just barely jumped when her gaze snapped first to Swindle, then Ratchet, then back to Swindle.

"I said I didn't want to be disturbed." She growled lowly, the limbs on her back flexing.

"Ah swear it wasn't me." Swindle sputtered, taking another step back with his servos up in surrender.

"I need to speak with you." Ratchet said quietly.

"I'm busy." Arachnid snapped.

"I need parts." Ratchet insisted, trying not to sound as desperate as he felt. For some reason, he had the feeling that Arachnid still picked up on it and she scowled, crossing her arms over her chassis.

"What kind of parts."

"Chrome got attacked and he needs a new fuel pump eh-sap." Ratchet said. "His armor is corroded so badly that it's falling apart-"

Arachnid cut him off with a wave of a servo before gesturing him inside.

"-it out of him it will short out and it's useless!" A red and black mech snarled, glaring up at a towering bulky mech. Helicopter blades hung from the mech's shoulder guards and they clicked as the mech shifted his massive weight.

"You can't get it out anyways, so why don't I have my fun and save the rest for scrap." The helicopter demanded.

"Because that's all you leave behind is scrap!" The first yelled.

"Mechs, mechs, calm down for a klick." Arachnid interrupted and both mechs spun to glare at Ratchet. The first mech he instantly recognised and a shiver of fear worked its way through his frame. Flatline.

Arachnid turned back to Ratchet with a smirk.

"First off, I know for a fact that Chrome or any of his mechs can't afford an entire set of armor." She said, glancing at the two mech behind him. "And let's just say these two already have enough work cut out for them."

The unknown mech snickered, elbowing the ex-medic and Flatline gave Ratchet a feral grin.

"You've already met my medic, Flatline." Arachnid said, gesturing toward the black and red mech. "And this is Vortex. He's…. shall I say-"

"I encourage mechs to pay up." The helicopter spoke up, crossing massive arms over an equally massive chassis. The mech could easily give Carbon a run for his credits.

"Exactly." Arachnid purred. "Now under normal circumstances, I would let mechs risk their own lives. But I like Chrome and I know what he can and can not afford."

Her entire posture changed, becoming more aggressive as her optics flashed.

"And I know for a fact that he cannot afford the 18 grand it will cost to get him a new set of armor."

"18 thousand credits?" Ratchet asked in a squeak, his spark dropping though the floor.

"Yes. 18 thousand credits for an entire set or armor of his frame style." Arachnid repeated. "I can get you a fuel pump-"

"Brand new too." Flatline added with another feral smirk and a chuckle from Vortex. Ratchet shuddered as he realised what they were implying.

"-for 2000 credits." Arachnid finished.

"But Chrome didn't pay nearly that much last time." Ratchet protested.

"Internal parts are much harder to get. Oh, and I expect the credits upfront."

"I…" Ratchet stammered in alarm. "I don't have…"

"That's what I thought." She purred, backing off a few steps with a smirk.

"I'm sorry for wasting your time." Ratchet said quietly, tightening his EM field as he backed toward the door.

"Hey, he's a medic." Vortex suddenly spoke up, a clawed digit aimed in his direction. Ratchet froze at the sudden attention he was getting from the big mech and Arachnid frowned.

"In training you glitch." Flatline snapped. "His insignia is just an outline. Once he's a full medic that cross will be filled in like what I have."

"Did." Vortex quipped and received a glare from the other medic.

"What are you getting to Vortex?" Arachnid asked with a sigh.

"What if we got him to do it? He'll have newer codes then Flatline-"

"I can get it out-"

"Then why haven't you?" Arachnid cut in. Flatline dropped his gaze, shifting nervously.

"Because the fraggin circuit locks are more advanced." He grumbled.

"And you can't get it out, admit it, you can't get it." Vortex cut in again. "So let me-"

"And scrap the entire frame?! Absolutely not!" Flatline snapped.

"Ratchet, do you know how to bypass circuit locked components?" Arachnid asked and both mechs shut up, their bright red optics locked on Ratchet again.

"I've dealt with it before." Ratchet answered carefully.

"Do you know how to get around it." Arachnid repeated.

Ratchet hesitated. Circuit locking was common in elite classes to ensure that their parts didn't end up in places like this. It was designed that if a component or system was tampered with, it would short circuit and render it worthless.

In theory, because of his medic only access codes, he should be able to bypass the circuit lock. The fact that Flatline couldn't bypass them with his own codes told him that they had been updated.

"I… I think I could." Ratchet finally said.

"Are you serious?!" Flatline demanded, taking a step forward to glare at Arachnid.

"Let me put it this way." Arachnid said, her optics flashing again. "Ratchet's frame and fuel pump that he wants costs 20 thousand correct?"

"Yes."

"That cloaking device is worth 200 thousand credits. I think I can handle the risk. Besides," she turned to Ratchet with another fanged grin. "I can take it out of his hide if he messes up."

"You trust him that much?" Flatline asked with a scowl.

"You said yourself you can't get past the circuit lock."

"I-"

"Yes or no."

"No. I can't get past it." Flatline growled.

"Then what choice do I have? I'm already 80 thousand credits short because of that glitch. I get that cloaking device and I'm up by 100 thousand _and_ Ratchet gets his parts." Arachnid said, her tone hard. "It's a win win."

"I'm shooting him if he does anything stupid." Flatline growled, glaring at Ratchet.

"He won't. You heard him, he needs that armor." Arachnid said simply before turning to Ratchet. "Here's the deal, you get my cloaking device, you get your parts. Deal?"

Ratchet hesitated again as his ethnic and medical coding twisted in warning. He knew that everything about this place was questionable and he already had a hard enough time accepting that Chrome got parts here. But at the same time, he didn't have the 20 thousand credits Arachnid was demanding.

While his tanks clenched at the thought of stripping a terminated mech's frame for parts, it was just a terminated frame. An empty shell… right? And Chrome would terminate if he didn't get those parts.

"I'll do it." Ratchet finally said, forcing himself to relax.

"Oh good, I was hoping you'd say that." Arachnid said before gesturing toward Flatline. "If you would show him?"

"More than willing to." Flatline said with a grin, walking forward and dropping a clawed servo onto Ratchet shoulder guard. He winced as the mech's claws dug into his armor but allowed Flatline to all but drag him from the office and toward the horrible butcher shop he had seen last time.

But as soon as he was shoved though the doors he froze in horror.

There was energon _everywhere!_

The blue liquid was pooling on the table, sprayed across the walls and even some on the ceiling.

A mech's frame stripped to the protoform was on the table, the legs missing at mid-thigh. The jagged cut lines spoke more of a hack job than a precision removal. He could see where fluid lines had been sealed and he could have sworn he saw a wire spark.

Piles of glossy green armor was stacked on a far counter and Ratchet recognised the Elite class armor and paint. Parts, most still wet with fluids, were stacked next to the armor and Ratchet identified vital internal systems such as a fuel pump, hydraulic cylinders, lengths of wiring and tubing, circuit boards, and the severed legs.

The mech's chassis had been pried open and the internal systems exposed to the open air. Wires and tubing snaked out of the mutilated chassis-

The mech whimpered and Ratchet balked entirely.

"No no no no no, I didn't agree to this." He stammered, watching in horror as he saw things he hadn't at first.

Straps over the mech's hips and writs joints kept him pinned to the table, the course mesh biting into the soft protoform. An energon drip was stuck in the mech's arm and explained why tubing had been sealed off. A much finer mesh, soaked in energon, had been stuffed into his vents to prevent more fluid loss and he could just barely hear the mech's wet, ragged, and far to slow vents as he panted for air.

"You agreed to get the cloaker." Flatline snarled into his audio, his claws tightening on Ratchet's shoulder guards. "Circuit locks activate when the mech offlines. If you were any kind of a medic you would know that."

"But I thought, I mean, he's still online!" Ratchet stammered, throwing an arm out toward the poor mech. "I won't do it, I won't torture an innocent-"

The claws punctured his armor and he gasped as they scraped against protoform. He instinctively cringed away but Flatline kept a tight grip on his protoform.

"Let me put it another way, _royal_." Flatline hissed. "I'd say your frame is worth, oh about 80 thousand credits? Course I'd have to buff those awful scratches and gouges out but other than that, I'd get the Boss a couple credits out of you."

Flatline shoved him into the room and Ratchet caught himself on the table, accidently bumping the mech. He whined weakly and Ratchet backpedaled fast enough that he collided with another mech.

He jumped away like he had been burned, whipping around to face a grinning Vortex.

"I-I-I won't cut him apart while he's still functioning." He protested, trying to ignore the throbbing in the back of his helm from his medical coding going ballistic.

"That's an easy fix." Vortex said as he walked past Ratchet and lowered a servo to let his claws drag across the mech's arm. He whimpered again as energon beaded up from the shallow gouges. "A very easy fix."

With no warning he sank his servo into the mech's chassis and Ratchet watched in frozen horror as the mech's servo wrapped around the other's spark chamber.

A hiss of static escaped the mech as he arched against the straps in agony.

His vocal processor had burnt out.

"Stop!" Ratchet yelled, taking another step back in horror. "Just stop already, please!"

"You glitch, don't terminate him!" Flatline yelled at the same time, reaching out to swat the much bigger mech in the helm. Vortex roughly jerked his servo free and turned to Flatline with a snarl.

"You're monsters." Ratchet whispered, backing up to the door only to realise it had been locked. "You're both monsters. I- I won't do this. I'll pay Arachnid some other way but I will not mutilate another mech! I'm- I'm a medic! This against everything I stand for!"

To his shock both Vortex and Flatline stared at each other before howling with laughter. The former medic even went so far as to tap the poor mech's helm with a claw tip.

"You hear that? He also wants to back out of a deal with the Boss." He said before burning red optics snapped up to Ratchet's terrified blue ones. "I wonder if he knows what happens to mechs that back out on Arachnid."

Ratchet's armor stood on end and he trembled with uncontrollable fear as Vortex advanced on him.

"I'll tell him, oh let me tell him." He asked, grinning gleefully.

"That _is _your job." Flatline said, gently patting the mech on the cheek plate before straightening again. "I just take mechs apart."

"See royal, no wait, its Ratchet right?" Vortex asked in a dangerous tone. "See, the Boss doesn't like it when mechs go back on their word. Because, as far as she's concerned, you said you'd get the cloaking device, you would get her the 200 thousand credits its worth."

"So from where I'm standing, you now own Arachnid 200 thousand credits." Flatline cut in.

"And he-" Vortex gestured at the Elite, "only owed her 80. Guess what I do to mechs that own her 200."

Ratchet couldn't even move when Vortex easily pulled a rotor blade from his back, the long, razor sharp metal blade almost as long a Ratchet was tall, and leveled it with his chassis. The thing was more than capable of causing the horrific amputations.

"I make it hurt. Now get to work." Vortex growled, gesturing the blade tip toward the table.

"If… he's in stasis the circuit locks will be just as difficult to bypass as if he were conscious." Ratchet tried again, his coding twisting at the mere thought of what he was even considering.

"You think I don't know that? But where's the fun in that." Flatline said. "Stasis locked mechs don't feel pain. And this isn't supposed to be a walk in the Crystal Gardens."

"Please, just let me give him something-."

"Nope. No can do." Flatline said, shaking his helm.

"Keep it for yourself." Vortex suggested, examining the edge of his blade. "You'll need it when I'm done with you. What do you think Flatline? Legs first? Usually convinces a mech real fast to pay up."

"You know, I've always been partial to the servos. They're harder to replace and _everyone_ knows that a servo-less mech is a backstabber." Flatline countered.

"Ah, yes. True. And he is a medic in training so it will cut his career off right then and there."

"Course," Flatline paused, shooting Ratchet a look. "There is another way you can pay…"

"What." Ratchet asked in barely above a whisper, his voice trembling.

"You were so eager to voulenteer another mech's credits for the job." Flatline said.

"Chrome I believe? The medic?" Vortex interrupted. "I can go take the credits out of his hide if that's easier for you."

"You expect me to choose between lives?" Ratchet asked horrified.

"Either your's, your precious mentor's, or a mech you've never heard of." Flatline clarified.

"And somebody _will_ pay." Vortex added, examining the blade edge again and giving Ratchet a chilling smile.

"Alright!" Ratchet spat, his frame visibly trembling. "Alright." He repeated quietly, taking a nervous step forward.

"Good mech." Flatline said lowly, backing off to the counter and leaning against it with his arms crossed over his chassis. "The cloaker is just below his spark." He shot Vortex a burning glare. "Unless glitch here wrecked it." He refocused on Ratchet. "Just about every wire on the fraggin thing has a circuit lock. Mess with one, they all go off and blow the cloaker. At the state he's in, it just might terminate him like you wanted."

Ratchet flinched before forcing himself forward a step, then again till he was beside the steel table. Blue optics locked on his and he flinched again.

"I always leave the optics for last. I like it when they can watch me as I take them apart." Flatline commented and Ratchet nearly purged right there.

"Just… stop talking." He mumbled as he let a deep system scan fall over the mech.

His vision instantly went red from the warnings that popped up ranging from dangerously overheating systems, stasis lock low fuel levels to _transformation cog undetected?!_

Again he forced himself to calm down as shaky servos would just hurt the mech more. Not that he was in excruciating pain or anything with half his insides missing.

The so called cloaking device was a rectangular shape, just a little larger than his fist. Wires and tubing branched out of the box from all sides and Ratchet finally gave up trying to figure out where it all went. He quickly went over what he did know of circuit locks, grimacing when he realised he would have no choice but to perform a sync with the mech's processor. Unless he felt like taking the next 8 joors to manually bypass each and every one with the more than likely chance of triggering the locks and shorting it out.

With a shuddering vent he allowed the hidden panel on his bracer to slide out of the way, the silvery cord falling into his servo.

"What are you doing." Vortex demanded from by the door.

"Getting your cloaker." Ratchet hissed, glaring at the mech. There was no way in pit he was giving the ex-medic or that twisted mech codes to by-pass the circuit locks. It was obvious they didn't have the latest versions.

"I'm sorry." He whispered to the mech as he shuttered his optics, forcing his servo to slide his datacord into the mech's dataport.

He reacted instantly, shaking his helm like he was trying to dislodge the cord.

And considering the state of the mech's firewalls, it was no wonder he fought.

While he had though Chrome had been fragmented, it looked like someone had taken a pile driver to the mech's defences.

The mech was still shaking his helm, trying to dislodge the cord and Flatline abruptly stood, grabbing the mech's helm with sharp claws and forcing it still.

"I wouldn't advice doing that again." He growled, energon starting to bead around his claw tips.

The mech stilled but his engine still whined in stress, the sound irregular as his engine threatened to give out entirely. Ratchet ground his denta till he tasted sparks. This was wrong. This was sick and wrong. But it was either this or Chrome would terminate.

He forced himself to move past the mech's shredded firewalls and destroyed processor. Everything had been attacked, files and memories scattered across the mental landscape like someone tossing datapads away. While Titan had been after one thing when he fragmented Chrome, there was no specific target to this attack and Flatline's comment about having 'fun' came back to the front of his processor.

The mech wasn't even aware enough to form thoughts, only a constant stabbing pain rolled like a wave.

Ratchet couldn't help it when his coding leached over the bond, blunting the agonizing pain as he headed toward his system coding. By the time he found what was left of the coding he needed, he was exhausted but the mech was in slightly less pain than before.

The few, complex strings of coding that would trigger the circuit locks were the only ones still left intact. But meddle with the codes and the cloaker would be fried as the locks short circuited.

At first, his medical coding refused to give up the codes but eventually he felt his own coding cave and the bypass codes activated.

To his relief, the locks disengaged and he slowly started to back out. He took his time, carefully shutting down the mech's pain receptors as he went, the throbbing pain slowly dulling-

The connection shattered and Ratchet cried out, stumbling backwards and tripping as pain exploded behind his optics. He gripped his helm, somehow hoping the pressure would keep his helm from exploding.

"I said no pain relievers." Flatline spat, realising the limp mech's helm and stalking back to the counter. "You almost done or not."

"Ye-yes." Ratchet stammered, shaking his helm as he coiled his datacord back into place. Shakily he got back to his peds, the room tilting dangerously. He gripped the edge of the table with both servos, working to quickly fix the minor fragmentation he had just gotten from the severed connection. A few klicks later and he could focus again and the dull throb matched the one his medical coding was giving him.

As the mech was now partly sedated, he hardly reacted more them shifting when Ratchet subspaced a scalpel and set to work cutting the wires and tubing from the box. As he worked, he became more and more aware of the fact that he was deliberately harming another mech. By the time the box was almost cut free and his servos were stained blue with energon, he was trembling again.

The temporary pain block had long worn off and the mech had started to whimper in pain. He gave a static filled cry when the scalpel Ratchet was holding slipped. It nicked the box and in a sudden, surprising burst of colored pixels, the mech disappeared.

"Wha-" Ratchet stammered in alarm, jumping back in shock. The restraints still hovered in the air, as did the fluid soaked rags that had been blocking the mech's vents. In confusion he stretched out his sensors but they came up blank, with only the spark signatures of Flatline, Vortex and himself.

"Glitch!" Flatline spat, taking a step toward them, a short knife jutting from his wrist. Before Ratchet could say anything or even move, he stabbed the table.

Only for the knife to disappear half way up the blade and energon started to trickle from the blade.

A moment later, pixelated colors flickered across the table again and the mech's sickly grey protoform once again appeared, the knife buried in his arm.

"It turns the user invisible." Ratchet stammered. "Physical sight and sensory."

"Yes. Which is why it's so valuable." Flatline growled jerking his blade free and tearing a deep gash in the mech's arm while severing energon lines. "You almost done or what."

Ratchet's attention was locked on the energon flowing from the mech's arm and before he even realised it he was moving to repair the deep gash.

Vortex snorted, rolling his optics as Ratchet quickly sealed the energon lines to keep the horrifically damaged mech from leaking out.

"Should have let him leak out." He said. "Would have been less painful."

Ratchet froze before he realised that Vortex was right. Another wave of guilt and horror flooded his systems and he fought to keep himself under control as he severed the last few fluid lines.

"I got it." He whispered as he cut the last bundle of wires and lifted the gory device from the mech's chassis. He set it on the table beside him before leaving heavily on the table to try and force his armor to quit rattling as Flatline walked up.

"That's it?" He asked in surprised. "That was fast."

"Yes." Ratchet hissed, tilting his helm to glare at the mech. "As you could tell, it still works."

"Good." Flatline said, reaching for the device.

Ratchet snatched it back, snarling at the mech.

"Where's Arachnid." He hissed.

"Still in her office." Flatline replied, gesturing toward the door. Ratchet glared at him a moment longer before turning toward the counter and washing the fluids from his servos and bracers.

Walking towards the door, he sidestepped Vortex to avoid the towering helicopter as the bigger mech took a step toward the table.

There was a wet sucking sound, a sharp gasp of pain, and the sound of a metal tip hitting solid steel.

"You glitch!" Flatline yelled as Ratchet spun in horror at the sudden flood of spark radiation. "I could have sold that!"

Vortex shrugged as he causally yanked his blade from the mech's sparkchamber and watched as energon dripped from the blade tip.

"You…. You just…" Ratchet stammered in shock as the mech's optics went dark, the blue glow of his spark dissolving in an instant. "Why didn't you…?"

"Terminate him before? I told you, it's no fun then." Flatline replied easily. "But if you want a more 'professional' answer, warm systems are easier to remove then cold ones. "

Ratchet took a step back in horror before turning and all but running out of the room.

ooOOoo

He dropped the still energon wet device onto Arachnid's desk, ignoring the glare she gave him.

"There's your fraggin cloaking device." Ratchet hissed, barely able to contain himself anymore.

Arachnid smirked at him, reaching down beside her chair and picking up a silver grey object.

"There's your fuel pump." She replied, setting the pump on the desk before Ratchet. "Your armor will be here in two orns. Consider us even and a pleasure doing business with you. Oh, and do say hi to Chrome for me?"

Ratchet didn't say anything as he carefully set the fuel pump in subspace before he turned and fled.

ooOOoo

"Ratchet?"

The low rumble caught his attention and he choked back another sob, scrambling to his peds in alarm to see Carbon standing by the doorway, his armor tight against his frame. He didn't say anything as he knew as soon as he opened his mouth he would break down again.

"Ratchet, what did you have to do." Carbon asked quietly, taking a cautious step forward. "Mechling, what happened?"

Ratchet winced at the pet designation the mech had called him for the first groon and a half. Ratchet had never taken offence to the nick-name and he knew that Carbon had never meant it more than a way of getting the much younger, in comparison, mech to relax.

He still automatically took a step back as Carbon took another step toward him though, his armor still painfully tight.

"Ratch?"

"Jus…just leave me alone." Ratchet whispered, his voice trembling.

"I think that's the worst thing I could do right now." Carbon replied, watching Ratchet with concerned red optics.

"Pp-please, Carbon."

"Not a chance mechling." Carbon replied gently, taking another step forward. "Axil just came back to the mine and said that you were a mess."

Ratchet didn't move and he cautiously took another small step forward.

"What's wrong?" He asked again.

"I… I made a horrible mistake…" Ratchet whispered after a moment, his vents catching again. "I shouldn't- I never should have agreed, I should have known she would trick me-"

"What did that glitch make you do." Carbon cut in with a growl.

"I… I needed the parts so badly…" Ratchet continued like he hadn't heard the other mech, his frame trembling with shame. "I… I was stupid!"

"You're the farthest thing from that." Carbon protested weakly. "Arachnid is a genius though. There's a reason she's never been caught."

"Flatline couldn't get the part out." Ratchet said quietly, his optics drifting form the floor to Carbon's peds. He didn't dare bring his optics higher. "She-she said that if- if I got it, she'd get me the armor."

Carbon went rigid, his vents catching as he realised what Ratchet was saying.

"He was still online!" Ratchet blurted, "He was still functional and- and- and I… I cut him apart."

"Oh mechling…"

"I didn't want to, and I felt sick the entire time but, I still did it…" Ratchet stammered, optics back on the floor and away from Carbon. "I'm a medic, I'm supposed to helm mechs. Not strip them apart-"

"But you did help." Carbon interrupted, reaching out and resting a firm servo on Ratchet's shoulder guard. Not expecting the slight comfort, Ratchet found himself leaning toward the much bigger mech as his frame continued to tremble. "None of us could have pulled that off Ratchet. And you got the armor, you can fix Chrome and everything will be back to normal. You did what you had to, it's all right-"

Ratchet stiffened in alarm before jerking away from the mech.

"No it's not!" Ratchet snapped, backing away from Carbon till he was once again up against the counters. "I just _butchered_ a mech! And there is _nothing_ alright about that!"

"Ratchet-"

"No! My coding _demands_ that I repair mechs! It's my job! It's what I wanted to do all my life!" Ratchet spat, his voice threatening to crack as he slapped his servo against the bright red cross on his shoulder guard. "I violated everything this stands for! I- I'm no better than either of those two! Not even caring that he was a fully functional mech! All they cared about was how many credits they could get out of his frame and-"

Ratchet cut himself off with a choked off gasp before abruptly spinning to Carbon. The mech was watching him, his faceplates hard in a frown.

"It's how you're treated." He said whispered. "How you and the others are treated every orn. Oh Primus, I'm just like them!"

What miniscule emotional control he had collapsed along with his legs and he sank to the floor with a sob of grief. Everything he never wanted to be, he had become in an instant. Like Sire, like creation he though bitterly as he pulled his legs to his chassis, his helm buried in his knee guards as his frame shook with sobs.

He was just as bad as his sire, worse even, as Avalon had never had the energon of a mech on his servos. And now if felt like he was drowning in the stuff.

A grunt to his right and the fainted brush of an EM field signified that Carbon was beside him and he flinched away from the bigger mech.

"Are you done?"

The growled question was the complete opposite of the caring tone the miner had used before and Ratchet snapped his helm up to stare at the miner in confusion. Carbon wasn't looking at him, but causally had his arms propped on his knee guards, his focus on Chrome. Burning red optics suddenly locked on Ratchet and he flinched.

"Are you done?" Carbon repeated, his tone just as hard and cold as it had been before.

"I don't- don't understand." Ratchet stammered quietly.

"Are you done your sob fest? Because last time I checked, Chrome was still in stasis and needs a new fuel pump." Carbon replied, slightly less hostile as he returning his gaze to the unconscious medic. "You had nothing to do with him offlining but it _will _be your fault if Chrome offlines because you're in the middle feeling sorry for yourself. You nearly got Sterling terminated last time because of something like this."

Ratchet flinched like he had been struck.

"Slag happens Ratchet." Carbon continued. "Coding gets twisted and corrupted and mechs do things they thought they never would all because someone they care about is in danger. You don't think I've regretted doing things? But I do it because I protect what is important to me. You did what you had to and because of that, one more mech is still functional. Forget about that mech Ratchet. That mech, whoever the frag he was, made a deal with Arachnid and couldn't keep it. He was a good as terminated anyways. As far as you're concerned, it never needs to happen again. Chrome is your priority and you will do whatever you can to ensure he's fully functional because you're a medic and you repair mechs."

The black miner abruptly stood up with a hiss of hydraulics before turning to look down at Ratchet and thrusting a flask into his servos.

"Take a hot shower, take a shot of that, and then get to work on Chrome." Carbon ordered. "I'll be at the mine."

Without another word the mech turned and left as silently as he had come in.

ooOOoo

Ratchet gasped, choking on the brutally strong fluid as he recapped the flask. Only after he had tossed back the shot did he realise it was the same stuff Carbon had given Sterling after he had used him as an IV drip.

"Sweet Primus that's strong." He rasped as the liquid burned down his throat. Energy surged through his systems at the rapid overcharge and he shook his helm sharply as he set the near poison in subspace. "Wow."

The stuff was strong enough to melt the paint of his armor. And to think the miners drank the stuff…

Turning back to the medbay with renewed vigor, he pause in front of Chrome and regret once again took over. Carefully, like he was handling a new-spark, or a bomb, he set the fuel pump on the table. He took a step back, studying the device with determination.

He would _never_ butcher a mech like that again.

But what if Chrome got hurt worse? Or Carbon? Or Sterling? Then what?

Was it worth it to strip an already failing mech to save another?

No.

It wasn't. Even if it was a frienld, he would never allow himself to violate his coding as badly as he had just done. There would be other ways to get the same parts. If he had to strip terminated frames, so be it. But he would never let himself get trapped like he that again. It was a mistake and one that he intended to never make again. Carbon may have brushed it off as nothing, but it wasn't. He was a medic. His job, his function, was to repair mechs. And by Primus he would.

* * *

**So wha'd you think? I personally loved writing this chapter because i had wanted to write a more graphic "thing" for a long time and, well, this fit in right here.  
**

**So two things. Technically Flatline belongs to Hasbro as he is a cannon character, but because he is almost never mentioned, (first time i ever heard of him was in IDW RID) so I've basically made most of him up. I know in IDW he's ac tally a half decent medic, but seriously. With a name like Flatline? Con in the making anyone?**

**Vortex on the other hand, I've heard is a sadistic son of a gun and of the five combaticons (which i will use) he is the most... brutal. Yeah lets say that. I've waited a long time to write him anyways. **

**Thirdly I'M FINALLY BACK ON THE PLOT LINE! ha. we'll see how long that lasts. Ironically, the next chapter would be the half way point of the original MJ. So considering that half the re-write has almost the same amount of chapters as the entire original version, i think i'm doing pretty good!**

**FORTH! and the most important!**

**I've completely lost track of reviews so here's the deal! We're almost at 150 reviews! The 150th reviewer (unless they are a guest [sorry but I have no way of contacting you] in which case it will be 151) can have a oneshot of their choise. Pretty much the skies the limit for ideas as long as it is still rated T. It doesn't have to be a direct tie in to the MJ:A timeline, it can be anything you want. **

**Fifth thing, it is still Sunday, even if it is 1130 at night, so therefore I can still say I posted on my usual day. So there. (Wow it's hard typing author notes in a phone with autocorrect...)**

**Read and review, love you guys and I hope to see- wait I'm camping and no Internet... **

**see you guys in 2 weeks!**


	16. Hope

**So I got good news and bad news. Good news, I MOVED OUT! YAHOO! Independence! Solitude! Typing time up the wazoo! Bills bills bills and no wifi yet…**

**BUT! I'm getting wifi on the 18****th**** so hopefully the following Sunday after THAT I'll post again. Bad news is, that's still a long ways off…**

**OH yeah! Really really important, no the mech from last chapter was not Mirage but that does come back to bite Ratchet in the aft. **

**AkwardDragon: I'm glad you like it so far. It's defiantly been a lot of fun to write and experiment with. **

**Mooncrossed: Man, I had been waiting to do a nice gory chapter like that for a while. Felt good to channel my inner deception. And while I don't have any plans of writing a messy chapter like that for a while, bad things are still going to happen to our favorite future CMO. **

**The Tip of My Tongue: I'm glad you like it so much. And I'd hope it's better than the original. I've got over a year of writing under my belt between the first chapter of the original and now this one. Feels good to see my writing improve in that time. **

**JazzStar2014: I'll let him know ;) he might hit you though. Let me know how that works out for you. **

**Guest: Yes, and more to come. Lots of drama and fun stuff to come. **

**Guest: Glad you're enjoying it so far. **

**BookLovingPersonR.B.L: Wow it felt good to write that. I was in a weird mood that day I think…. Oh well. One must learn to channel one's inner Decepticon. **

**CanikoStar99: works for me. I'm evil and you're a sap. Sounds like a plan :) I do enjoy writing fun stuff, but I've fallen in love with the anguish-y side of life and I LOVE pushing characters limits. War changes mechs (heck, and people!) and because there isn't really any official cannon background stories for our favorite characters, I get a chance to push them to see how they turn into the characters we all know love and (in some cases) hate and fear.  
The good news is that while I was able to write the main chapter on my laptop, I still had to do the reviews and author notes on my phone. Crap that's a pain in the aft. I love my laptop and I can't wait to get my stupid internet installed… yesh…**

**Sunstreaker's Squishy: Just the author notes :) not the whole thing. I got that done on my laptop and saved the file to fanfiction so that I could post it on my phone since I lost wifi three days later. I'm not that talented. Ha, I've already butchered my spellcheck on my laptop between Jazz/Sterling's accent and then all the cyber-mumbo jumbo. My phone would blow a fuse if I tried to type a chapter on it. Or I'd throw it through a wall. Both are very possible scenarios. **

**HeartsGuardianSol: You can give him a hug with JazzStar. Just what every CMO wants is to be smothered with fluffy hugs. :D And yes, this till come back a couple times to haunt him, PTSD is a wicked son of a gun. Oo the drama!**

**Answerthecall: I know, I'm mean to him. Eh, I'll give him a short break for a while before I have another inner Decepticon moment. **

**Child of Jon snow: Maybe maybe. But would you tell your mentor if you get yourself screwed over as badly as Ratchet did? And I did warn everyone :) eh, gory stuff will wait for a bit. And yes, kinda back on the time line. Hopefully I'll be able to stick with it because I've kinda hit the point it the original where I actually want to keep stuff. And before you email bomb me again, I'll have the next chapter up as soon as I can. **

**Akira Alvina: Thank you thank you, you're too kind. And while I'm making 90% of this stuff up, I think it actually kinda all makes sense. Bonus points for me. So far anyways I'm having a lot of fun and as I'm writing this, I'm realising more things that make things even more interesting. Kinda a never ending cycle that I'm having a blast messing around with. **

**Princess Kassie: NO ITS NOT MIRAGE! Good grief as soon as you reviewed it hit me like a sludge hammer. Oops. Heck, I almost had the poor sap blue. Major oops. No, in my universe, Ratchet is one of the few mechs that still clearly remember the golden age. Ironhide, Magnus, Kup, older mechs like that still remember it. (Don't tell them I called them old!) Most of the others, like Mirage, Jazz, Prowl, heck Prime, don't remember it nearly as good. So at this point where Ratchet is about, ehh… late teens early twenties, Mirage and most of the o****thers don't even exist yet. Hope that makes sense.**

* * *

Ratchet's vision flickered and he winced at the ringing in his audios.

"You glitch! You broke him!"

The voice was slightly distanced, moving back and forth like the speaker was moving. Or pacing.

"I did not! I may have hit him a little hard-"

"Hard?! Primus, we agreed to teach him to defend himself, not knock him into next cycle!"

"-I didn't knock him into next cycle! Primus Axil, would you relax before you blow a fuse!"

Ratchet finally managed to reorganise his scrambled thoughts. Sandstorm scaring the slag out of him that morning. Making a comment about keeping his end of a bargain. A surge of panic that Ratchet had trapped the miner… and somehow ending up with Sandstorm driving him into the ground.

With a low groan he refocused his optics on the tan faceplates of the miner crouching over him.

Oh yeah. Sandstorm was teaching how not to get terminated.

"You functional?" The tan miner asked, offering Ratchet a servo.

"Yeah, I think so." Ratchet replied, grasping the offered servo and pulling himself up with a sharp hiss of pain as he felt plates on his back pop back into place.

"I think that's enough for this orn." Sandstorm said, eyeing Ratchet warily. "You've been at this for almost two joors."

"I'm fine, honestly." Ratchet said, brushing loose dust from his bracers. He hissed sharply, flinching forward when Axil flicked him in the back of the helm.

"Right. Caving half your helm in is fine." He deadpanned, crossing his arms when Ratchet shot him a look before fingering the dent in the back of his helm. It wasn't deep and would work its way out with his self-repair. But it still hurt.

"It's just a little dent." Ratchet insisted.

"Chrome will termite us if he-" Axil shot Sandstorm a pointed glare, "-terminates you."

"I'm not gonna terminate him!" Sandstorm snapped back, shoving the lanky mech.

"Speaking of Chrome," Ratchet interrupted before they went at each other again.

"He was still in recharge." Axil replied, ignoring Sandstorm.

"I'll go check on him then." Ratchet said, limping slightly from a prevision meeting with the ground.

"You sure he didn't hit you too hard?" Axil asked, following the other mech back around the front of the medbay.

"I said I didn't hit him that hard!" Sandstorm yelled before muttering violently under his breath.

"He didn't!" Ratchet called over his shoulder guard as the two miners continued past the medbay back up toward the mine. He watched for a moment longer till they had both transformed and drove out of sight before walking into the quiet, clean, safety of the medbay.

Since he had helped him repair Chrome, Sandstorm had lost his violent edge toward Ratchet and it still freaked him out a little. It had freaked him out even more when the tan miner had finally approached him last orn about Axil's reading lessons.

The stray though reminded him that at some point he needed to get more simple reading texts for Axil when the low gust of deep-in-recharge vents caught his attention.

Chrome hadn't moved from the last place he had seen him early that morning. The medic was still in recharge on the last berth in the medbay, resting after exhausting himself the orn before trying to walk.

Even though he had finally onlined a cycle ago, Ratchet was still paranoid about the medic's condition. Watching him shift, he once again scanned the medic. The fuel pump had fully integrated and the repairs were coming along well. He knew that the damage done, while it had missed severing it, to his spinal support would still cause him lingering pain but even that would eventually fade.

The new armor had come four orns ago and Axil had spent the next orn fitting it to the medic's frame. It had originally been stripped of paint and left a rough texture but while he had been waiting for Chrome's self-repair to assimilate the repairs, he'd spent the time repainting the armor.

The design was similar to the old set, but the armor was thicker and heaver. Not to mention it didn't have two gaping holes punched through his torso or the terrible acid scarring.

When Chrome had asked about it, Ratchet had gone completely silent, his entire posture tensing and he had refused to say anything about where he had gotten the armor. Chrome had finally stopped harassing him but Chrome knew that Carbon knew something and it annoyed the medic to no end knowing he was being kept out of the loop.

Satisfied that the medic was still resting he walked into Chrome's office, settling into the worn chair to finish up on a few more reports. While he had never filled one out himself, Chrome kept copies of all the documents and he was able to figure it all out.

Most were simple maintenance reports on the miners' internal systems statues. A few though were documents about the serious injuries that had happened that took mech's off of work. Chrome had only filled out half of Sterling's report and Ratchet finished filling in the details of his repairs and the parts that they had been forced to replace.

Chrome's was more difficult as images of the black market had constantly been haunting him and he finally had to stop because his servos were trembling too badly to hold the stylus. Just as he was finishing up the report he picked up an ID signature he didn't recognise. His armor flared in alarm and he sent a comm out to Dusty that someone he didn't know was coming even as his spark raced with the threat of a panic attack.

The red mech responded with an affirmative before the comm cut off from the static of the mine and Ratchet tried to force himself to relax. Nervously he stood up and left the office, only mildly relaxing when he realised that the low, sleek brown vehicle wasn't Titan.

It still didn't answer who it was and as the mech transformed, he couldn't help but frown as sleek, brown and gold armor slid into place. The mech's vibrant blue optics were a stark contrast to the red optics he was used to seeing.

The over-confident way he walked up to the doors was enough to make Ratchet nervous again, but in a different manner.

Only an idiot walked around this far out of Iacon that confidently. Or someone _very _powerful.

The doors slid open and the Elite's optics locked onto Ratchet before a smirk crossed the mech's smooth faceplates.

"Can I help you with something?" Ratchet asked, closing the office door behind him as he forced himself to act professional.

"You must be the famous apprentice." He said, his Tower's accent a dead giveaway to his Elite class.

"I'm sorry?" Ratchet asked in confusion.

"I've heard a lot about you. The Elite that dared to question his place in society." The mech continued and a cold dread worked its way down Ratchet's armor. "There were rumors that Avalon's creation was out here with these savages. Of course, those rumors were quickly eliminated and never proven."

Ratchet's vents skipped in alarm.

"But enough of that, where's Chrome."

"He was injured." Ratchet replied, somehow managing to keep his tone level. "He's resting-."

"Then get him." The mech interrupted with a low growl. "I don't have all orn for this."

"Why the frag are you harassing my apprentice Copper." Chrome snarled and Ratchet glanced sharply toward the back of the medbay to see him slowly sitting up. His frame was tense with pain and Ratchet's sharp optics could tell that the medic was trembling.

"Ah, you are still functional. I'd heard you'd almost terminated." The mech said with a cold grin. Ratchet recognised him then, remembering Chrome and the other's talking about the hated foremech.

"Well I'm still here. What do you want."

"Those reports."

"I haven't filled them out. I've been out of commission for the last cycle and a half." Chrome snapped, the new armor on his frame flaring before contracting again as Chrome hid a wince.

"I finished them Chrome." Ratchet said carefully, watching the medic but keeping his peripheral vision on Copper. "The mining reports are out of date though."

"Dusty should have brought them in within the last few orns." Chrome said. "Fragger probably forgot about them."

"You said you finished my medical reports?" Copper interrupted, refocusing on Ratchet.

"Yes sir-"

"Get them."

"You don't order my apprentice around." Chrome growled lowly, carefully sliding off the berth and earning a low growl from Ratchet as the apprentice took a step forward. He had fallen the last time he tried to get up.

"I'll do whatever the frag I want Chrome." Copper snapped, his armor flaring in aggression. "Unless you want your payments to disappear for a bit, you will do what I say. Avalon is not impressed with the slag that been going on around here. Get your mechs under control or Avalon will start pulling your funding."

"I don't keep a grip on their leash. You know that." Chrome growled. "All I do is put them together."

"Then you better get a grip on it." Copper spat. "Get those mechs under control before some of them start disappearing. And I can promise you that silver one is at the top of his list."

"Problem's Chrome?"

Copper jumped in alarm and Ratchet spun to see said silver mech and one of the new miners walk in casually. Sterling held a datapad up before handing it to Ratchet.

"Dusty said 'ee forgot tah drop it off." He explained as Ratchet turned it on to see a whole bunch of numbers and graphs that he had no idea what they stood for. The mining reports.

"I believe that's mine." Copper spat, snatching the datapad from Ratchet and earning a low growl from the other mech. Sterling shot a servo out to brace against the other mech's chassis.

"Leave 'im Impactor. 'Ee ain't worth bein' shipped off tah Kaon." Sterling growled lowly, giving Copper a scathing glare. Impactor's armor flared slightly and his posture spoke volumes of wanting to take the Elite mech's helm off. The same feral way he looked like after he had run Titan off.

"You touch me and it will be the last thing you ever do, _bait-metal._" Copper hissed, deliberately stepping into the much bigger mech's flared EM field. Both miner's engines roared, Sterling dropping his servo as he took a step forward. Ratchet quickly got between them as Copper took a nervous step back, realising his error too late as his armor pulled tight against his frame.

"Sterling its fine." He said, servo braced against Sterling chassis as he watched the two very dangerous miners. "I was just getting him the reports and then he was leaving."

The silver mech scowled before he shifted his weight backwards. Not truly backing off but Ratchet knew that was the best he would get from the mech. Cautiously Ratchet ducked into the office, grabbing the datapads that he had nearly stacked on the edge of the desk before walking back out.

"Here." He said, handing them to Copper. The Elite took them, a sneer crossing his faceplates before he subspaced them and turned back to Chrome.

"Get them-" He snarled, jabbing a digit at Sterling and Impactor, "under control."

"They haven't terminated anyone yet." Chrome snapped. "Now get out before they do."

Copper shot the two snarling miners a look before lifting his helm in a challenge.

Only Ratchet jumping in front of Sterling again stopped the two miners from advancing as Copper walked out of the medbay without a backwards glance.

"Ah swear tah Primus Ah will off tah' mech." Sterling snarled, his armor flaring oddly like when he had attacked Carbon. Ratchet gave the miner a nervous look, scanning the mech and noting the high concentration of energy pulsing though his frame. Sensors of some kind. And powerful ones. Sterling glared at him and Ratchet returned the look with a scowl.

"What are you two doing here?" Chrome demanded, leaning back against the berth with a low, pain filled snarl.

"Ah told ya, Dusty fo'got tah send tah report down." Sterling said with a shrug. "Pactor wanted tah tag along an' Ah wanted tah see if ya was still functional."

"Well now you've seen me. Get out." Chrome snapped.

Sterling shot Ratchet a confused look and the apprentice shrugged innocently.

"**He's been in a mood. He's still hurting even though he'll never admit it." ** He explained over a private comm.

"Ah. 'splains ah lot." Sterling agreed with a bob of his helm before turning toward the door. "Then weh'll leave ya in 'is pleasant company. Come on 'Pactor. It aint smart tah frag off tah mechs tha' could save ya spark one orn."

The other miner shot both medic and medic in training an amused and slightly suspicious look before following Sterling outside. As soon as the two miners were gone, Ratchet spun on Chrome with a low snarl.

"What did he mean." Ratchet demanded, servos planted on his hip bolts.

Chrome snorted, his optic off to the side as he worked up the strength to get back up on the berth.

"The glitch thinks that just because I'm the only medic on this side of Cybertron that will treat a miner he thinks I have some kind of control over them." Chrome explained before with a wince, slid back up onto the berth.

"That's not what I meant." Ratchet said, taking a few steps closer to the medic as he ran a scan over him. Chrome glared at him but didn't move. "What did he mean payments?"

Chrome winced again, though not from pain this time.

"I've… I've been getting a bit of financial help." Chrome muttered, armor pulling in tight against his frame. "Dusty doesn't know just how in debt I am."

"To who!" Ratchet demanded before regretting it with the look Chrome gave him.

"Who do you think?" He said with a forced chuckle. "I've been in debt to Arachnid since Dusty nearly got blown sky-high."

It was Ratchet's turn to wince at just the mention of the near fatal accident drug up old memories.

"His repairs cost us our emergency fund, then with the mess of losing mechs and credits, I couldn't catch up. Sterling getting attacked just added to the bill." Chrome continued quietly. "I didn't dare ask the others to pitch in, we were already broke enough as was. Asking them for more credits was too much, not when they're practically starving."

"It was that bad?" Ratchet asked in disbelieve. He had no idea that they had kept something as serious as that a secret from him. But then again, they had hated him back then.

"It's been worse." Chrome brushed off with a shrug. "Copper found out though."

"How?"

"Who cares? He just knew that I was in danger of getting shot in the back and he knew that without my medical care, he would lose what little obedience out of the miners around here that he had." Chrome said. "The glitch in turn told Avalon."

"Oh Primus..." Ratchet gasped, figuring out where it was all going.

"Avalon in turn has been giving me the credits to get out of debt to Arachnid."

The irony of his sire giving credits to the black market femme made him smirk before Ratchet turned serious again.

"I refused at first, there was no way I was owing credits to that mech but I didn't have a choice. He's threatened the others because of me more times then I care to count. Avalon knows that as long as he keeps sending me the credits to run the place, he owns me."

"Then we'll pay him off! Dusty and the others will pitch in-"

Ratchet was cut off as Chrome snorted.

"You think Dusty knows about it?" He asked. "Dusty doesn't know. And he won't. As far as the others are concerned, everything is fine. They don't need to know that the only reason I'm still functioning is because Avalon thinks that as long as he has control over me, he has control over them."

"But he does."

"Yes. The problem is," Chrome continued with a sigh, "is that I don't have near the control Copper and Avalon think I do. I just put mechs together because they'd terminate otherwise. It's my job and as long as I'm useful, Avalon will keep sending me the credits. As soon as those stop, he doesn't see me as useful and everything will get shut down. The medbay, the mine, the gang. Everything will get shut down."

"He'd do that?" Ratchet asked quietly.

"Your sire is an evil, spark-less drone Ratchet." Chrome said, his tone razor sharp and his optics dangerous. "He's taken away our rights, and he'll take away our lives as soon as we start costing him credits. That's all he and all his kind care about."

Ratchet didn't miss the fact that Chrome didn't include him in that category and the fact sent a shiver though his frame. Whether that was a good thing or not, he didn't know.

The sudden, terrified look that flashed across his mentor's faceplates made him realise too late though that it hadn't been a shiver, but a tremor.

From the mine.

"Collapse!" Chrome gasped, lurching upward and off the berth only to stumble back against it with a sharp gasp of pain.

Ratchet jolted toward the medic only for Chrome's vibrant green optics to snap to him and stop him dead in his tracks.

"Forget about me, go!" Chrome spat, glaring at Ratchet with vivid, haunted optics.

"I swear to Primus if you transform-"

"I won't! Now go!" Chrome yelled, snarling under his breath as he straightened. Ratchet shot one last concerned look back toward the medic before he turned and bolted outside.

xxXXxx

"Primus fraggin idiotic spawn of a slagging glitch!" Dusty spat, wincing when Impactor lifted the twisted remains of some scaffolding off his back. It was nothing serious other than dented plating but it still had hurt.

"Ya 'right?" Sterling asked as he walked over, his powerful headlights cutting through the dirt and dust still hovering in the air. Dusty winced, shielding his optics as he got back to his kneebolts, for the moment ignoring the two mechs towering over him.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Dusty replied, finally letting the silver mech pull him to his peds. He stumbled once while his gyroscopic systems recalibrated and he winced, pressing a servo to the side of his helm. "Ow. Where's everyone?"

"Everyone's outside. Axil an' Longhaul are somewhere over there." Impactor answered as Sterling reached out to steady the smaller mech.

"You two alright?" Dusty demanded into the slowly settling dust.

"Would someone tell me what the frag landed on my helm?" Longhaul's irritated voice came from his right and he turned toward the closer sound.

"Sorry mech, that's me." Axil replied from the same direction. Longhaul cursed and a crash came from their direction as well as Axil groaning weakly.

"Everyone outside, there could still be tremors." Dusty ordered before coughing harshly to clear the dust from his vents. He sensed Axil and Longhaul come up beside him and he glanced up at the other two mechs.

"You're alright?" Dusty asked again, carefully making his way toward where he remembered the exit to be.

"We're fine. Other than lead-aft here landing on my helm." Longhaul grumbled and Dusty heard him shove Axil.

"I said I'm sorry!" Axil objected.

"Knock it off!" Dusty snapped, coughing again as his optics finally found sunlight and they stumbled out onto the plateau.

"You five alright?" Carbon asked, the normally black mech a light grey from the dust.

"We're fine. What the frag happened?" Dusty demanded, rubbing his bracer against his faceplates to try and get the dust out of his optics.

"That crack that me and Ratchet had been working on split the whole cliff face in half." Axil said, staring down at his light grey frame in disgust. "I guess it took the scaffolding with it."

"Ya think?" Sandstorm quipped.

"Enough!" Dusty cut in. "Is everyone here and alright?"

"We're all here and undamaged." Carbon answered.

"Good, I'm going to check-" Dusty started to say before the blare of a horn interrupted him.

"What the frag happened!" Ratchet yelled as he tore up the road. He slid to a stop, twisting into his bipedal form to run toward them.

"Is anyone hurt? Chrome and I felt that back at the medbay!" He demanded.

"We're all alright, just a few minor scuffs and dings." Dusty said, walking toward them, Sterling at his side. "There hasn't been any more tremors so I was going to go check it out."

"What?!" Ratchet squawked, his armor standing in end in alarm. "Are you insane?!"

"Ee did 'it is helm." Sterling muttered low enough that the medic in training didn't hear. Dusty glared at the taller mech before refocusing on Ratchet

"Check Longhaul would ya? Axil landed on him." Dusty said if only to get the mech to stop looking at him like he'd sprouted another helm.

"For fraggin sakes it was an accident!"

"Sterling, Sandy, with me." Dusty continued as he headed back towards the mine. The two mechs fell in step behind him as he cautiously made his way back down the main shaft. He flared his sensors to their limit, paying attention to every miniscule creak and groan as they scanned the tunnel and supports for any weaknesses.

Whatever had caused the wall to collapse hadn't effected the main tunnel as they made their way to the nearly empty cavern.

"Spread out." Dusty said, keeping his voice low as he swept the cavern with his optics and scanners.

"Hey boss, there's something back here." Sandy called quietly, waving from where he was by the initial collapse. As Dusty walked up he saw where the deep crack had spilt the cliff face sending a good half of the cliff, including the scaffolding he and Axil had been on, to the ground. The ceiling was still solid as he approached and hesitantly he walked closer, examining the empty pocket of air behind the cliff face.

"I didn't know it was hollow back here." Sandstorm said, following Dusty into the pocket.

"Talginite." Dusty replied automatically, his servo ghosting over the smooth, glossy black metal. "The whole place is shielded from sensors."

"Ya sense tha'?" Sterling asked, making a beeline for the opposite wall.

"What."

"Energon." He replied simply, glancing back at Dusty with bright white optics before he turned back to the wall. "A lot 'o it."

"Be careful." Dusty said. "We don't know how strong that floor is-."

The ground cracked underneath his peds and he lurch forward as the ground collapsed. On pure instinct Sterling spun, a long cable already snaking out of subspace as he wiped it toward Dusty as the red mech dropped into the blackness. Catching the cable, he felt it slice though his palms as his dead weight came to a sudden painful stop as Sterling fired off the spikes in his legs to anchor him to what was left of the ground.

The pocket filled with silence other than Dusty's rapid venting and his pounding spark threating to break out of its casing.

"Dusty?!" Sandstorm's panicked call reached his audios and reluctantly he onlined his optics from shuttering them against falling debris. "Dusty!"

"I'm fine." He said quietly, readjusting his grip painfully.

"Sweet Primus we thought you'd missed the cable!" Sandstorm gasped, dropping to his knee bolts over the opening in the floor and peering down at Dusty some hundred feet below him.

"Ang on, Ah'll pull ya up!" Sterling's slightly muffled voice reached him.

"No, hold on. Those energon reading are off the charts." Dusty called back, subspacing a repelling rig and very carefully feeding the end of the cable, a mere twelve feet, though the pulleys and clamping it off. He dropped a few inches and heard a started gasp from Sterling before the miner cursed. With a better grip on the cable, Dusty flicked his headlights back on, twisting to try and look around.

"Sweet Primus- Sterling let me down!"

"Ow far is it?"

"Another two hundred feet, then it looks solid."

The cable shifted and slowly started to lower him down into the near pitch black around him. The familiar sensation sent a spike of fear though his spark that he was quick to block from his questioning mate as he quietly repeated to himself that it was Sterling, not someone else, lowering him into the darkness of the planet.

Not soon enough his peds hit solid ground and he relaxed, turning toward where the energon signals were strongest.

Only to be completely blinded.

He instantly dimmed his lights, his vision sparking at the sudden feedback and winced at the stabbing pain behind his optics.

"Dusty! Wha's goin' on!" Sterling demanded.

"Anchor that cable and get down here!" He called as he released the cable, a few quick scans proving the talginite shielded cavern was solid. Turning in place he stared as he picked out the sharp edges and the overwhelming familiar tingle of raw energon.

The cable behind him shifted and he moved out of the way as first Sandstorm, the Sterling slid down the cable to land beside him.

"What!" Sandstorm demanded, his armor still on edge.

"Look at this." Dusty said with a grin before flaring his lights on again.

The cavern exploded in light, the massive crystals surrounding them reflecting every possible color back onto the cavern surfaces.

Sandstorm gawked openly, turning in a complete circle in shock as Dusty grinned, the scans flying though his helm and yet all he could see were the mountains of credits the hidden cavern would bring them.

"I've never seen so much energon in one place in my life." Sandstorm said, servo reaching out to press against a crystal that towered over him. Whereas the hundred foot cavern they were working on had been nearly cleaned out, this one was as pure as could be found. The crystals sprouting from the walls, floor and ceiling dwarfed Sterling as the mech was turned a kaleidoscope of colors from the crystals.

Abruptly Sterling howled with joy, throwing his arms into the air as the crystals rang out in response to the Polyhexian cry and the cavern echo with the eerie sound.

"Weh hit tah Primus-fraggit motherlode!" He yelled as Dusty's spark filled with hope for the first time in metacycles.

They would be pulling crystal out of this cavern for metacycles to come. There would be no need for anyone to break up the gang and they might finally be able to get above demand, something miners could only dream of as their lives were filled with the constant demanded of the higher ranking classes. It would mean the chance to take a break. For the few with family and friends outside of the mine to spend time with them.

With the crystal would come the credits and with his youngling in need of an upgrade, he had been terrified they wouldn't be able to get the credits needed.

They would need to reinforce the cavern as they started to mine it out and talginite was notoriously heavy. As the densest metal on Cybertron, it was nearly impossible to mine though and would blow though drill bits like nothing. Pit, they could upgrade all theirequipment and get the proper tools and supports they needed.

"We have a fraggin lot of work to do." Dusty said with grin, propping his servos on his hipbolts as he let his gaze continued to sweep the cavern.

* * *

**And a bit of a break. Next up has a big time jump, nothing to serious but got to keep moving. So, see you all next time! **

**Read and Review!**


	17. Monster

**I'M BACK! For real this time. I have wifi and I'm on a roll with typing. Woo hoo! So, apologies for disappearing for so long, but this will make it up to you. I could NOT stop typing this chapter and byt he time i finally finished it was 6700 words long. So, super long chapter because there was no place i could cut it off and make it sound good. Its another dark chapter, hence why it's called Monster, but not in the same gory dark as Price. This is just... dark. Sterling gets his time in the spotlight though so that's a chapter was a lot of fun to write, a pain in the you know what because of Sterling's accent, but lots of fun otherwise. **

**Reviews!**

**Guest: Yes, i finally manged to get that into it. And he's finally starting to warm up to the kid.**

**JazzStar2104: Ill pass them on. :D Yeah, Chrome's mostly back on his feet. Hopefully for a while. And yeah, bout time everyone else gets a break. **

**Mooncrossed: yep, finally gave them a break. For a little bit anyways. then I'll get back to having fun at their expense. **

**Child of Jon snow: yes they found it finally, and yes their idiots. **

**Answerthecall: Lots of fun. lots of good stuff, and bad, to come. And for now, lets go back to the bad. **

**InterstellerGazer: yeah, we're finally getting back on track. But if the next chapter goes how i think it is then we're gonna be going off on another wild goose chase. Heck this chapter is a deleted scene.  
**

**And on to chapter 17! **

* * *

Everything was pitch black.

Frantically he looked around, desperate to find something that he could at least get his bearings on as his headlights failed to turn on. Something caught his attention and he turned toward the far off glow.

He took a few steps toward it, the ground suddenly rough under his peds and he stumbled slightly. Catching himself before he fell, he kept walking only to trip again, crashing to his knee bolts with a curse and his servos splashing into wrist joint deep liquid. The sudden liquid seeping through his armor caught him off guard and he jerked back to his peds, splashing more liquid on himself as he shot to his peds in surprise.

The glow died and he froze as he was once again plunged into darkness.

His headlights flared to life on their own at that moment and he flinched at the sudden bright light before recoiling in horror.

Energon stretched as far as he could see and he spun around, expecting to find solid ground but only seeing more of the cyan liquid. His lights swept the sea of ankle joint deep energon, panic starting to set in at the sheer amount of life fluid.

He had to get _out!_

He turned again and instantly stumbled, tripping again in the knee joint deep fluid. Energon flooded his vents and he came back up sputtering, coughing and cursing his clumsiness only to come faceplate to faceplate with Piper. The terminated miner was as burnt as the orn he had first stumbled across the poor mech and he reeled back in horror.

A sharp cry of pain rang out from his left and he spun toward it in time to see a towering mass of dark armor take a step back as the smaller, silver-grey frame of Chrome collapsed to the ground, the long metal pipe stabbing out of his back as he pitched forward into the energon.

"_Chrome_!" He heard himself shriek as burning red optics locked onto him with ruthless hate.

He ignored Titan, rushing as fast as the energon pulling at his legs allowed him toward the unresponsive mech, dropping to his knee bolts as he hauled the Chrome's helm out of the fluid to keep him from drowning.

Chrome chocked once, energon bubbling from his mouth as Ratchet was flooded with spark radiation. Jagged claws dug into his shoulder guard and with a cry of pain he was jerked back, Titan stepping forward to press a heavy ped against Chrome and force him under the fluid again.

Wet, chocking sounds filled his audios and he struggled against his captor desperate to try and get the towering mech off the medic before he drowned. He shoved his elbow joint into the mech's chassis, freezing when his arm slipped between bundles of wiring and tubes instead of hard plating.

With a shriek of terror he jerked away from the Elite, falling into the energon again. The mech hissed and Ratchet slowly got back to his peds, taking a terrified step backwards as the torn apart frame of the Elite mech he'd mutilated took a menacing step toward him. The back of his leg hit plating and he jumped, glancing down to see the horrifically burnt remains of Piper. Another corpse to his right shifted and his gaze snapped to it, terrified optics locked on the bullet hole between Sterling's optics. And the crushed remains of Battleship. Dusty sprawled beside him and energon gushing from his terrible injuries. The black mass of Carbon.

"No." he whispered, backing away from the corpse as more and more came into his vision. Axil, Longhaul, Sandstorm.

"No!"

Scrapper, Ironlock, Impactor, Jigsaw.

There was a hiss and Ratchet snapped his helm up at the familiar sound of selion.

"_Elite!" _The Elite snarled, burning blue optics pinning him in place as the volatile mixture of energon and selion fumes ignited in a roar.

"No!"

"Ratchet!"

The yellow mech jolted upright, vents heaving and coughing like he could still feel the thick energon sliding down his armor. Focus was standing beside him, terrified light blue optics locked on his faceplates as his slim digits dug painfully into Ratchet's shoulder guard.

It was the middle of the night.

"You screamed." Focus said quietly, his flared armor only settling an inch.

Ratchet started at the mech for another good half a klick before pressing a dry, energon free servo to his faceplates, his entire frame hot with raw fear. Primus that was awful.

"You haven't had a memory flux that bad in a long time." Focus whispered, easing off on his grip to gently rub circles on Ratchet's shoulder guard. "What was it this time?"

"The usual." Ratchet murmured, refusing to go into detail. If the already skittish mech knew just what he was all seeing in recharge, he'd glitch.

"Primus mech, you sure you should be out there then?" Focus asked, slowly sitting down beside Ratchet. "I mean… you were getting better for a bit but then that slag with Chrome just kicked started it all over again."

"I'm fine." He muttered, pulling his legs up against his chassis. Between the claustrophobia kicking in every time Focus closed a door on him and the fluxes scaring what little recharge he could get out of him, he figured he looked like slag. He felt like it.

And the last thing he wanted was for Focus to find out just how addicted to the assemic he kept in his subspace he really was.

He'd tried to cut himself off but the memory fluxes got worse and he kept taking the sedative if only for a few joors of near-stasis recharge. He knew how addictive the stiff could be though and he'd cut himself off after the first two nights. He'd lasted a cycle after that before he'd woken Chrome out of recharge with a scream. The images of Ratchet clinging to the gutted medic, Chrome soaked in energon and choking on the stuff as Titan leered over them with that awful pipe was far too close to the truth for him to even think about recharging again. He'd been using assemic almost every night since then.

"I've already fragged myself over. At least when I'm online I'm still useful." Ratchet said after collecting his thoughts and finally dropping his arm to his upraised knee bolts.

"Ratchet, you're going to burn yourself out like this." Focus protested weakly. "Let me take a look and-"

"No!"

Ratchet jolted back against the wall, gold optics wide in alarm as Focus continued to watch him.

"No, the last thing either of us needs is you having the same memory fluxes." Ratchet continued in a quieter voice, forcing his frame to relax. "I can handle it."

"Yeah right." Focus said with a disbelieving snort. Ratchet winced at the accusing sound, hunching farther into his armor like the scared sparkling he knew he was acting.

"Ratchet-"

"There's nothing you can do." Ratchet interrupted, lifting his optics just enough for the gold light to catch Focus' faceplates. "For this, I'm on my own."

"Ratch-"

"I'll try not to cry out next time." Ratchet muttered, resting the side of his helm against the wall, optics half shuttered again. Focus was silent before he moved again, slowly standing up and walking away at the clear dismissal. He left the door open and the lights still only half dimmed and Ratchet watched the glow of the other mech's room die as the door slid shut.

With a spark-deep sigh he rubbed at his optics again.

Primus he was a wreck.

ooOOoo

"You look like slag warmed over." Chrome said when he walked into the medbay. Ratchet winced, subconsciously rubbing a servo over his worn bracer before dropping his arm.

"I feel like it." He replied, walking over to the old medic and sinking into a chair, his helm held in his servos. He was so fraggin tired.

"Another memory flux?" Chrome asked quietly. "You haven't had any of those in a while."

"What makes you say-"

Ratchet cut himself off as the medic smirked, tapping the side of his helm. With a wince Ratchet dove into his core programing, reactivating the overrides and turning his optics blue again. So far he'd remembered to keep switching between his natural gold color and the blue overrides so that Focus wouldn't glitch but he guess he'd forgotten to change them back on the drive to the medbay.

"Sorry." He muttered, refocusing on Chrome.

"What was it this time?" Chrome asked, examine a laser scalpel before setting it in it's drawer.

"Oh, the usual." Ratchet said with a scowl, leaning back in the chair slightly. "You stabbed, Sterling shot and everyone floating in a lake of energon."

Chrome flinched at the sharp tone as Ratchet sighed again, dropping his helm back into his servos with a groan.

"I woke Focus again." He added. "And probably half the apartment."

"You screamed?"

A silent nod in response.

"Did you recharge at all after that?" Chrome asked, his full attention on Ratchet.

"Are you kidding me?" Ratchet shot back, just managing to keep the hostility out of his voice. Chrome watched him for a nano-klick before abruptly turning away.

"You know why you don't see thieves in stockades?" Chrome asked out of nowhere. Ratchet started at him for a nano-klick trying to figure out the abrupt change of topic.

"Huh?"

"Thieves." Chrome repeated, turning back to Ratchet, his optics hard. "They get shot before Enforcers even get to them."

"What brought that-"

"You're lucky I know you and you haven't recharged in three cycles. Anybody else would be facing the wrong end of Sterling's blade." Chrome growled, giving Ratchet a dark look.

The apprentice remained frozen in confusion.

"And for your future knowledge, that assemic only works in large doses." Chrome continued. "Keep using a bit at a time and not only will you get addicted, you'll build up a tolerance to it and it will be useless. It's one of the few drugs I have easy access to and I would appreciate it if it would continue to work on you in the way it was designed for."

Ratchet winced, hesitantly subspacing the bottle of assemic he'd taken, borrowed, three cycles ago.

"I was going to give it back." He said quietly, watching the clear liquid move around the glass container. "I don't know what to do. I haven't recharged since I-"

He cut himself off with a low hiss.

"Since you did something gllitched to get my armor." Chrome growled walking over.

"I don't want to talk about it." Ratchet muttered, glancing away from Chrome's vivid green optics as he set the drug into his mentor's open servo.

"First things first then. What's in my medbay is mine." Chrome growled, his armor flaring in aggression. "I may have given you some the first few cycles you were here but you ever steal, or borrow, like that from me again and I can promise you that it will be the last thing you do. Am I clear."

"Yessir." Ratchet mumbled as he pulled his armor tight against his frame in submission, his optics on the floor.

"That's your problem Ratchet." Chrome said harshly, arms crossed over his chassis. "You think you're still trying to prove yourself."

Ratchet opened his mouth to object only to realise he had nothing to say.

"You've been here for how long, pit _Sandstorm_ is starting to like you!" Chrome stressed. "If that doesn't say you're part of the gang I don't know what does! You're trying to fit in but at the same time, you won't tell me the reason youfraggin' _stole_ from me."

"Because they're nothing compared to what you have to deal with!" Ratchet blurted, then regretted his outburst. Chrome started at him.

"Do you even realise how full of slag that sounds?" He asked, lip plates quirking up in an amused smirk.

"I'm serious Chrome!" Ratchet objected.

"So am I!" He yelled back, amusement gone and glaring at Ratchet.

"It's just…" He trailed off miserably.

"I can get you a lot better stuff then assemic." Chrome said straight-faced. "I can you stuff that will make you forgot a pit of a lot more than some spilt energon."

"No! No, Primus no!" He sputtered, rearing back. "I don't need drugs-"

Again he cut himself off, realising what a walking contradiction he was and he sunk further down into his armor.

"So what makes you think our problems are too much that we can't even listen to you." Chrome demanded.

"I just… I hear what you've gone though and…." Ratchet trailed off again. "And my problems just seem… pathetic compared to half the things I've heard. I'm acting like a scared sparkling who's afraid of the dark."

"Which you are."

"Which I am." Ratchet agreed, finally meeting his mentor's gaze. "Very much so."

"So recharge with the lights on." Chrome said.

"I do. Helps till I fall into recharge. Then the show starts up." Ratchet replied, dropping his optics again.

"So deal with it. You said you keep having fluxes of me getting stabbed again." Chrome said. "Well I'm still here. Titan may have tried but the fragger sure messed that up."

"That's not funny Chrome." Ratchet growled lowly, glaring at the medic.

"Never said it was." Chrome replied. "But it is fact. I'm still here. Sterling's still here, we're all still here and plan to be for at least a few more metacycles. I've already told you, you've got to focus on the good. Fine, close calls will happen. We've all had them, pit you've had a few close calls. But that's all they are and you sure can't to slag about it now so ignore it."

"But you told me-" Ratchet started to say.

"I told you, to never forget what happens. You'll learn valuable lesson your entire life and you have to remember them. But stressing over slag that's happened in the past will only hurt you in the long run." Chrome interrupted. "Especially if it's just an over active processor and not something that's actually happened. We're not going anywhere Ratchet. Not any time soon."

ooOOoo

"**You're tense!" ** Sandstorm yelled over the comm, coming up beside Ratchet and forcing his way between Dusty and the apprentice. With an annoyed honk Dusty hit the brakes to keep from rear-ending the off-road vehicle and Sandy flashed his taillights in teasing.

"**Just nervous, I've never been to a bar like this. The clubs I used to go to were a lot-"**

He cut himself off as with a loud whoop Axil took off from the middle of the convoy, swerving dangerously to nearly clip Sandstorm before taking off again to plow between Sterling and Impactor at the helm of the group. His powerful engine roared as Sandstorm surged after a cackling Axil, Sterling and Impactor flooring it to join in the demolition-derby style race down the highway.

"**-mellower." ** Ratchet finished with a laugh, watching as the more speed capable vehicles took off with wild hoots and yells.

At the back of the makeshift convoy, Dusty groaned over the comms, earing laugher form the rest of the gang. It was getting dark and Dusty had said that they were all heading to the bar to have some fun after a hard orn of work. Everyone had been ecstatic and acting like a bunch of over-sized younglings.

"**Primus I can't take you mechs anywhere!" **He yelled, angrily revving his much smaller in comparison engine. Behind him Longhaul laughed, the dump tuck beside Ironlock while Scrapper kept pace beside Chrome. Carbon, despite his massive size and taking up two and a half lanes of traffic, easily kept pace at the rear.

"**You're just jealous you can't keep up!" ** Carbon teased.

"**Like frag I can't"! ** Dusty growled, flooring it and surging ahead with a high pitched drifted close to Ratchet, slowing for a moment.

"**Come one Ratch, let's show those rust ridden frames what some young energon can do."** He growled before peeling out.

With a laugh he watched the other mech take off. Over the six groons he'd been with the gang, he quickly realised that even though Dusty was the youngest there, he knew what he was doing. His life in the mines had earned him more than enough knowledge to lead the gang and then some.

Replacing Dusty as the youngest in the gang, he and Ratchet still shared jokes at the older miner's expense.

"**For Primus sake, go have fun and burn off some energy already." **Chrome growled and Ratchet took off with a loud whoop.

While his alternate mode was all but useless for the hard work and rough terrain of mining, it was low and it was fast and if felt so good to feel the highway roar by under his tires. In no time he'd caught up to Dusty, flashing his headlights at the other mech before he took off again.

"**Uh oh, here comes the royal!" **Sandstorm warned over the comms. There was no malice in the term though and Ratchet grinned, bracing himself.

Sterling shifted, diving over the lanes to cut him off and skillfully tapping the brakes and gunning it, he swerved around the big silver mech. Impactor was right there and he swerved around the fast tank-like mech as well. Jigsaw, Axil and Sandstorm still held the lead and still grinning he shot past the other three mechs with a whoop.

ooOOoo

Ratchet trailed down the road behind Carbon, engine still popping with heat. Behind him, Jigsaw, Axil, Sandstorm, Sterling and Impactor were little better, all of them over-heated and heaving for cool air. Carbon slowed and Ratchet was half underneath the bigger mech before he realised he had stopped. Jolting into reverse he backed out as the towering mech transformed with a chuckle, red optics bright with amusement.

"We'll get some good stuff into you and you'll be fine." He said, following the other miners into a dingy looking building. Ratchet transformed to look around the dirty street in fascination. He's been to the warehouses before but here, where it was more of a business district, it was interesting. A heavy servo clapped onto his shoulder guard and he glanced up with a grin to see Axil beside him, heat visibly coming off the dark grey mech. A flash of silver caught his attention as Sterling bounded ahead and into the bar.

"Sweetspark! Ah'm home!"

Rowdy laughter greeted the loud yell and Ratchet couldn't help but laugh as he walked into the dimly lit place.

"Good! Now get ya aft outta 'ere!"

The accent was nearly identical to Sterling's and Ratchet glanced toward a red and silver femme with one servo cocked against her hipbolt, the other balancing a tray of high-grade.

With the thin revealing armor of an entertainer, Carmine looked far different then the rough and rugged femme he had seen on such rare occasions. She looked amazing.

"Get any funny thoughts and Sterling will rip your optics out." Axil said with a grin, leaning down to be more on Ratchet's height. "And then everyone else here will rip you apart. Carmine is one of the best singers around here. Anybody gets frisky with her and they lose an arm."

"I'll keep that in mind." Ratchet muttered, still staring at the femme with wide optics.

"Oi Callum, Ah thought ya didn't let street scrap in 'ere!" The femme called, turning toward a blue mech at the bar.

"I don't. He's your problem." He called back with a grin, tipping his helm in their direction before noticing Ratchet's blue optics. He scowled darkly but when Chrome rested a servo on his other shoulder guard the mech shrugged before turning back to cleaning an empty cube.

"Well, Ah better take tah trash out then." Carmine said, setting the tray on a table and stalking over to Sterling. Carmine was hardly half way across the room before Sterling met her, sweeping the small femme into his arms and dipping her into a low and passionate kiss.

Howls and catcalls filled the bar at the display before they finally came back up for air, Sterling's vents heaving.

"That's mah mech!" Impactor yelled out, clapping Sterling on the back and making the mech stagger.

"Oi, come on mechs!" Duty called out, gesturing toward a couple tables near the back. "Callum, send the best. First rounds on me. You bunch of glitches are on your own for the next dozen."

"Round o' highgrade coming up!" Callum replied, tossing the rag and empty cube into subspace before reaching under the bar.

"This is… different." Ratchet said quietly, sliding into a chair beside Chrome and at the same table as Dusty, Axil, and Jigsaw. At another table he already heard Impactor try and challenge Carbon to a drinking contest while Sterling watched in amusement.

"That ain't going to end well." Chrome cut in, twisting and resting his arm on the back of his chair to smirk at Impactor. "He's Kaonian, he's been drinking that stuff since he could walk."

"Have not." Carbon protested, mock hurt on his faceplates as he placed a servo over his spark. "My carrier drank the stuff. I was already hooked on it before I was even sparked."

Snorts of laugher came from their group and Impactor scowled darkly.

"Eh, even Ah ain't glitched enough tah challenge 'im." Sterling added, elbowing Impactor beside him.

"You'd better still be useful to me tomorrow." Dusty growled, glaring at the three mechs.

"Are you kidding me? I'll have to deal with everyone's overcharged afts tomorrow morning." Chrome grumbled before twisting back toward the bar.

"Come one Callum, I got to deal with these fraggers tomorrow and nobody's allowed to be overcharged more than me!" He yelled.

"Better listen to the medic!" An unknown mech called out between another round of laugher and cheers.

"You tell 'em Chrome!" Another called to more laughter.

"Yeah yeah yeah!" The barkeep yelled back. "Carmine, come on femme, I know ya mate's here but I'm still paying ya!"

"Comin' boss." Carmine called as she walked over to the bar, accepting the two trays and easily balancing them. Easily maneuvering the slowly growing crowd she set the tray down for Longhaul, Sandstorm, Scrapper, and Ironlock's group before setting another down at Sterling's table. A tray of bright blue liquid was set before Ratchet and he jolted back as he felt a slim, petite servo glide across his shoulder guard.

"Leave the younglin' alone Lexus." Carmine said from where Sterling had his arm around the femme's waist. "Ee's 'ardly old enough tah drink let alone deal with ya."

A soft laugh greeted the comment and Axil grabbed a cube, hiding his growing smirk behind it as Chrome and Dusty rolled their optics, also taking cube.

Ratchet twisted to see a young femme in very reviling purple and blue armor leaning over him, deep red optics locked on his blue ones as she smiled at him.

"He _is_ cute though." She said with a teasing grin, deliberately reaching over Ratchet to take a cube from the tray and set it directly in front of him. "I think I'll buy his drink."

Dusty, Chrome, Sandy, Sterling and Axil finally lost it, howling with laughter as Ratchet blushed a deep shade of blue.

"Careful royal, your faceplates clash with your paint." Axil teased as Ratchet's fans kicked into overdrive as the femme left.

"Aft!" Ratchet hissed, slapping the giggling miner as he continued to snicker into his drink.

"Don't take Lexus seriously, she flirts with every young mech that comes in here." Dusty said with a grin. "Bout time she picked on someone else."

Ratchet shot him a scathing glare before hesitantly taking a sip of the high-grade. The stuff was as potent as acid and he gasped after swallowing the stuff.

"Wow."

"Come on Ratch, though you said you could handle high-grade." Dusty teased.

"I can. This is paint-thinner." He said with a cough, staring at the dark blue energon.

"Ha! This is _real_ high-grade, not that watered down slag the inner rings like to sell." Axil said with a laugh, tossing his cube back. "Not as good as Chrome's though."

"Yeah, his is worse." Ratchet muttered before realising that Chrome was beside him.

"Carbon! I told you to quit stealing my 'grade!" Chrome yelled, twisting to glare at the grinning black mech and Ratchet shoved his chair as far away from the medic as he could, crowding into a laughing Axil.

"You did? I don't remember that discussion." He replied with a slag eating grin.

"Ee 'it ya over tah helm." Sterling said.

"Ah. Explains a lot." Carbon said, still grinning as Chrome continued to glare at him. "The last batch was the best so far."

"Miserable fragger." Chrome snarled before downing his cube.

"No pouty faceplates at the bar. I'll make you go home." Dusty threatened. Chrome replied by smacking the mech upside the helm.

ooOOoo

"Hey Chrome, can I ask you something?" Ratchet asked, leaning closer to the medic to be heard over the din. It was nearly midnight and the place was packed with miners and other manual labors off work and everyone was having a blast.

"Depends." Chrome replied, giving Ratchet a wiry smirk.

"About Copper."

Chrome scowled, making a face into his energon before taking a swallow.

"What about the glitch?"

"When he came to the medbay, when you were still off work?" Ratchet asked, nervous that he was pushing his luck about the formech. "He called Impactor bait-metal. What is that?"

The bar took that moment to get quiet and Ratchet's question seemed to ring though the abrupt silence. As every gaze in the bar snapped to him Ratchet cringed, hunching down as he felt those red glares burn though his plating.

"Bait-metal…" Chrome said quietly, trailing off to glance at Dusty. The red mech opened his mouth about to say something but the shriek of Sterling jerking his chair back cut him off.

"Sterlin'!" Carmine called after him as the silver mech all but fled the bar. She glanced back at the barkeep and he gave a curt nod. Moments later she was outside going after her mate.

"Oh slag…" Ratchet muttered, sinking farther down.

"Ya got a lot of nerve comin' in here royal and asking things like that." A mech growled, his heavy armor flared.

"Ratch's been with us for over a six groons. Leave him alone." Dusty said, watching the other mech as the tension in the room spiked.

"Ya expect me to believe that glitch doesn't know what that means?" The mech continued, the three other equally large mechs at his table rumbling in agreement.

"I know it's an insult, I didn't know what its actually talking about though." Ratchet said quietly, keeping his optics on a neutral point on the mech's chassis.

"He had a sheltered life before-" Dusty started to say before the other mech snorted.

"Then tell the royal. Bait-metal is what your kind used to feed the drillers." He snarled.

The statement was a slap to his faceplates and Ratchet started at him in alarm.

"You use bait to get the turbofoxes out into open." He said. "What do you think they used to draw drillers out? They need more motive then the scrapplets the 'foxes will go after that's for sure."

Ratchet turned to face Dusty, surprise at the hard look on the mech's faceplates.

"Dusty is-"

"Yeah he's right." Dusty cut him off, his frame tensing. "It was a long time ago though. Now it's just anyone that Council thinks is a waste of recourses."

"Which is half of you're so called 'gang." The mech sneered, glaring at Ratchet.

Carbon snarled, getting to his peds as did most of the others. Only Chrome, Dusty and Jigsaw remained sitting as EM fields flared in aggression.

"Enough!" Callum yelled, slamming his servo onto the bar top with a crash to get their attention. "You wanna fight, you do it outside!"

"**Sit down. Everyone. We're here for a good time."** Dusty ordered over their comms and reluctantly, everyone say back down.

"Ratchet!"

At the sharp bark Ratchet flinched, optics finding Carmine stalking toward him with fire in her optics.

"Ya want tah know 'bout bait-metal, ya talk tah mah mate. Ya put 'im in tha' mood, ya deal with it. Now git." She snarled, jabbing a digit toward the door.

Without a word he dipped his helm to the femme and bolted, the angry rumbles of powerful engines following him outside onto the street.

The colder air outside hit him like a wave and he gasped, hot air hissing from his vents as he tried to calm his racing spark.

"They tell ya?"

Ratchet snapped his helm across the street to where he could just catch the sharp edges of Sterling's armor and the piecing glow of his eerie white optics as he stood in the shadows with his arms crossed over his chassis.

"Yeah." Ratchet said quietly, walking across the street to stand in front of the miner. "I didn't mean to upset you."

Sterling snorted, rolling his optics as he turned back into the dark alley, only the faint glow of his silver paint giving them any light.

"Wasn't ya." He said, glancing back at Ratchet as he dropped onto a stack of crates. "They tell ya tha' tah Council used us tah get drillers tah come tah teh surface so tha' they could be terminated?"

Ratchet nodded, pulling himself up onto a crate across from Sterling.

"One of the miners in there said that most of the gang is bait-metal. And Copper called Impactor that. But the drillers are gone. There haven't been any for metacycles so why is that term still around?" Ratchet asked, shifting nervously.

Sterling chuckled, shaking his helm sadly.

"First off, driller's aint been gone as long as everyone wants ya tah think." He said, gesturing toward the three, deep, parallel scars across his chassis. "Ah little one gave meh these. Got tah fragger though."

"You've seen them?!" Ratchet stammered in shock.

"Long tahm ago. When Ah was still in Straxus." Sterling replied with a sad smile.

"Why." Ratchet finally asked and Sterling gave him an amused look. "I mean, to shove my ped down my throat even more so, why would they condemn mechs to termination when they could be working and getting energon?"

"Oh Ratchet," Sterling said with a bitter laugh, "ya still so naïve."

Ratchet didn't reply as he felt his armor tighten against his frame.

"Tah Council wants tah control us. They've been tryin' different things for generations." Sterling said after a moment. "An' Ah ain't just talking 'bout ya sire. 'Ee wasn't tah first but 'ees one o' tah worst yet. Ah don't know wha' all 'appened tah Iacon, but Straxis is ah minin' city. Small place, still on Poly'exian territory but close tah Tarn's border. First thing they did was ban us from tah Inner Rings o' tah city-states. They didn' want us minglin' with tah upper classes. Tah farthest intah Poly'ex weh were allowed was tah Outer Rings."

"By cuttin' us off from tah city-states, professionals tha' worked in tah cities like teachers, medics, armor an' weapons smiths, things like tha' refused tah come tah us. Weh managed though, some were 'appy in tah smaller cities." Sterling continued with a sad smile, optics lost in the past. "Weh still knew what weh were doin' though. Weh was smart. Knowledge was passed down through tah generations. It's 'ow Axil learned 'is skills. 'Ee told meh 'is sire taught 'em."

"Bu' things like readin' and writin', lost their importance. What use was it when everyone was too exhausted tah spend a couple joors teachin' a younglin' 'ow tah read an' write when as soon as they 'it their adult frames they went underground? It wasn't like they stood ah chance o' getting' ah better life. Once ah miner, always ah miner." Sterling said with a one sided shrug. "Council made sure weh 'ad no way o' ever getting' tah credits tah afford an education. They cut the pay, demand increased, weh had tah spend longer orns underground just tah get tah same credits as befo'."

"Laws were put in place, practically statin' tha' weh was guilt no matter wha' actally 'appened. " Sterling continued. "Royals took advantage o' it an' hundred o' mechs were dragged tah teh stocks because someone though they looked at 'em wrong. When tah stocks got full, they shipped 'em off tah other city-states where miners were needed."

"Kaon." Ratchet supplied and Sterling nodded.

"Yeah, Kaon's ah termination sentence. Once ya there, ya don't come back. Tarn, Kaon, eastern Kalis, northern Praxus by tah Rust Sea, all bad places tah beh sent."

"What about Carbon then? He's from Kaon I though." Ratchet asked.

"Ee's one o' tah lucky ones." Sterling said, before continuing. "See, when tah stocks got full, mechs stared gettin' mad tha' their friends were gettin' arrested fo' nothing. Or worse. Royals 'ad ah 'abbit o' walkin' 'round tah slums o' tah city just tah stir up trouble. Cause o' tah laws, they thought they were invincible. They'd 'arrasses anyone they could. Often, far too often, it was femmes commin' 'ome to their mates from workin' tah bars o' factories. Teh Royals… they 'urt em. Ah don't need tah tell ya wha' they would do tah a femme then managed tah grad. Weh couldn't do frag when our mates were raped and left fo' termination. It never 'appened tah Carmine, thank Primus, but it did tah 'er sister. Mechs, they didn't care no more at tha' point. Royals started droppin' like scrapletes an' soon after, mechs like meh started dissapearin'. Weh all knew they were either being shipped off, or tah Council was gettin' rid o' them. Permanently."

Sterling paused with a shuddering vent, running his servo down his faceplates. All of a sudden Ratchet knew he wasn't talking about the distant past anymore.

"Selion's always been 'round. Nothin' weh can do 'bout it." Sterling said. "Prexilin was tah only thing tha' countered tah effects an' weh practically drank tah stuff by tah gallon tah keep our sparks goin'. It aint nearly as bad as they say it is. Rumors say tha' tah Council falsified the medical claim just so tha' they could get the stuff banned. And when weh couldn't get teh stuff, mechs started terminatin'. It was pure fluke tha' they figured out tha' tah drillers are aft'a selion an' tah crystals. The selion in a miner's spark was enough tah get their attention. Add tha' tah teh radiation o' tah crystals an' drillers started commin' up from tah core. They were costin' tah Council billions o' credits. A decent sized driller can consume enough raw crystal tah power Iacon fo' ah groon in one feedin'."

Sterling hesitated again.

"They got so bad, especial in tah mountain states tha' mechs were gettin' slaughtered by tah thousands. Worst of all," he added bitterly, "was tha' it was the functional mechs tha' were getting off'ed. An' tah Council couldn't 'ave tha'."

"Oh, Primus, that's mass murder." Ratchet stammered in horror.

"It wasn't murder." Sterling corrected, optics hard and his engine snarling. "It was sacrificin' our lives for teh good o' tah planet. After all, weh were already goin' tah terminate, might as well go out tryin' tah take ah driller with ya."

"You told me a long time ago that unless I saw my sire leaking out, I had no right to judge you about your hatred of Sentinel." Ratchet said quietly.

Sterling visibly flinched, his engine choking out painfully.

"Sterling, I'm sorry, I didn't meant to pry-!" Ratchet stammered, horrified.

"Ee got sick." Sterling whispered. "Real sick. Ah tried tah cover both our shifts so tha' tah formech wouldn't realise tha' mah sire couldn't work. But tah fragger found out. Ah got it though." He said, tapping his scars. "Ah got tah spawn o' Unicron tah got 'em. Last one Ah ever off'ed."

"I'm sorry." Ratchet said again, armor tight against his frame in horror. He'd seen images of the creatures. He could only imagine the damage one of those sawtoothed beasts could do to a mech.

"When tah driller were finally wiped out, tah tern stuck around." Sterling continued, ignoring Ratchet as he focused on the ground between them. "Now bait-metal just refers tah anyone tah Council thinks is ah waste o' recourses. The mech slips up an' they're off tah Kaon."

"So what did that miner mean when he said our gang was bait-metal? Everyone's fully functional." Ratchet asked.

"It aint about selion anymo'." Sterling explained. "Dusty's classified as bait-metal purely fo' 'is size. His sire was bait-metal too. Small mechs can't do as much work as larger, heavier frames. Mech's with issues listen' tah orders, like 'Pactor an' Sandy, they' aint worth tah trouble they can stir up. Ah know Copper don' like Axil cause 'ee smart."

"That's all it takes?" Ratchet asked with a scowl. Sure Axil was smart, but the Council was so paranoid that they considered him a threat?

"Tah Council wants tah perfect society Ratch." Sterling said with a sigh before adding in a quieter voice. "They want tah be in control an' no-one tah question their place in anything. Bu' it aint gonna last fo'ever. Weh won't tolerate it. They deceivin' everyone with their talk o' for tah good o' Cybertron an' all tha' slag. Bu' it's all ah lie. Ah deception. Cybertron's rotten teh tah core."

Sterling snarled lowly, his optics flashing.

"An' one orn, someone gonna' make it all come crashin' down. And then weh'll see 'ow far those greedy, energon soaked pit-spawns get when they don't 'ave anyway tah control us. It wont beh ah masacure like wah' the did with tah drillers. This will be war."

"How do you deal with what you've seen?" Ratchet asked, Sterling words sending an icy chill though him, much like what Chrome had told him a long time ago.

"Ya mean tah memory fluxes?"

Ratchet nodded.

"Ya don't." Sterlign said with a shrug. "Ya'll always 'ave im. If ya stop, means ya don't care no more 'bout us. An' tha's worse. Ya just 'ave tah remember tha' it aint real. Ah sure as frag don't plan on givin' Avalon tah satisfaction o' meh termintatin' an' Ah know most o' tah gang feel tah same way. Easiest way tah frag 'em off is by not termiantin'."

"I'll keep that in mind." Ratchet said with a smirk.

"Weh all 'ave our monsters Ratch." Sterling continued quietly, resting his helm against the wall and shuttering his optics. "Some o' us are bein' consumed by them. Bu' weh stick together. Weh ah gang an' weh watch out fo' each other."

Abruptly the silver mech shifted, sitting up straighter as his attention shot to the alley entrance. Red optics flicked on and Carmine slowly walked up, a sad smile on her faceplates.

"An' when they get real bad," Sterling murmured, standing to wrap her in his arms. "Carmine's always there fo' meh."

Ratchet nodded before leaving the two alone. Just before he walked back into the bar, he glanced back to see them embracing, Sterling clinging to the femme like his life depended on it. With a sad smile, he walked back in.

"Drink! Drink! Drink!"

With a grin, his gaze shot over to where Impactor was downing a cube. With a grin he slammed it to the table as the mechs surrounding him and Carbon cheered.

"Ya turn Kaon!" Impactor yelled with a drunken grin, slouching in his chair.

Carbon grinned, waving Lexus over and taking two cubes from her tray. The crowd oohed and awed as Ratchet carefully made his way toward Chrome. The medic was grinning like an idiot and clearly overcharged, watching the two miners try and outdrink each other.

"Who's wining?" Ratchet asked, nudging Chrome. His mentor chuckled, snagging a cube from Lexus as she flashed Ratchet a flirty smile and handing the deep blue liquid to the young mech.

"Who do you think?" He replied as Carbon easily tossed the shots back before turning to focus on Ratchet. "You ok?"

"Yeah. I'm doing a lot better."

"Cheers?" Chrome offered, tipping his glass toward Ratchet. "You got a lot of catching up to do."

"I sure do. Cheers. To monsters." Ratchet said, clinking his glass against Chrome's as the medic stared at him in confusion. "And the friends that chase them away."

"To monsters and friends." Chrome echoed with a knowing smile as Ratchet downed his cube.

* * *

**So like i said, dark chapter and hopefully you understood everything that poor Sterling had to say. I have one more bomb to drop involving him, then i think I'm good for tormenting the poor guy. Time to have my fun with the others. **

**And just a heads up, the next chapter is still in process (go figure, why the heck would i plan ahead?!) and depending on the way it goes, it might be a shorter then the norm of 5000 words and wow will i EVER go off the plot line. I'm really pumped for the next chapter as it's a very different twist then what I've done so far. Super excited. **

**Another thing, there is an amazing fic in the G1 section that is actually fairly similar to the pre-war, golden age but rotten to the core thing that I've got going/getting to eventually. It's freaking amazing and quiet frankly if you read it, you kinda get an idea of what I'm trying to pull off with out blatantly copying his/her fic. It's called **Rusting Gold** by **Voidstarfire**. I strongly suggest checking it out.**

**AND another thing, that toast at the end, remember that. It's gonna pop up a couple times throughout the whole Medical Journals world. **

**See you all next week!**

**Read and Review, i love you all!**


	18. Banned

**Ok, so i know technically it's not Sunday, but Monday is a holiday for us Canadians (and Americans) and I really really wanted to post so here I am. **

**So this chapter is a little rough, not quiet as smoothly as I wanted it to be but oh well. I posted and next chapter will be very familiar. I know I keep saying this but I actually AM back on the plot line. **

**Reviews!**

**Neon: Was wondering when you were going to pop up again. Heh. Sequel? try trilogy. And then some. At exactly this chapter, he's like... 18-20 ish. Still young by standards.**

**Guest: Glad you like it so far. **

**Skyice98:Yeah, they're a pretty close knit group. Not much can break them apart. **

**Child of Jon snow: See? Still posted. **

**TFSTARFIRE: I'm glad you're enjoying it so much. **

**Answerthecall: yeah, little dark. Not quiet as bad as price, but meh, just need to explain some things. A bit more explanations to come this chapter.**

**InterstellarGazer: Glad you liked it. Just needed to get somethings out of the way. This one's a bit like that too, but next chapter we get to more fun stuff. :D**

* * *

"Level Three Advanced Mechanical Engineering." Ratchet muttered quietly to himself as he flipped through the datapad. The complex text and formulas in the first few pages were enough to make his processor hurt just thinking about them. "And Axil understands this stuff."

With a shrug, he added it to the growing stack he held cradled in his arm.

Axil had been inhaling Ratchet's teachings like he was starving and was reading every spare moment he had. It was rare now to see the miner standing still without a datapad in his servos, quietly mumbling the text out loud and every once in a while stumbling over one of the huge words Ratchet had a hard time pronouncing. Anything that had to do with mechanics and engineering the dark grey miner was fascinated with.

As such, Ratchet was once again in the Iacon Hall of Records, taking out datapads for the mech to read seeing as he had blown though the last half dozen Ratchet had gotten him a little over two cycles ago.

"Thinking of a career change?" An elderly voice asked.

"No, it's for a friend of mine." Ratchet replied offhandedly as he continued browsing the shelf. At that moment his processor caught up to him and he recognised the mech's ID signature.

"For the miner?" Alpha Trion asked casually as Ratchet whipped around, almost dropping the datapads in alarm. The purple, red, and silver tri colored mech smirked, dragging a servo down the strange facial plates he had.

"S-Sir!" Ratchet stammered, his spark racing as he took a nervous step back. Alpha Trion was one of the 13 Council members and could get him and the rest of the gang in a _pit_ load of trouble if anyone found out what he was doing.

"It's alright Ratchet, I don't plan on telling anyone." Alpha Trion said levelly, keeping his tone down. "In my option, knowledge is everyone's right. No matter what class they are."

The statement cause Ratchet to relax a tiny bit but he was still nervous. The mech held a huge amount of power that rivaled his sire. Rivaled the Prime's. Respectfully Ratchet dropped his optics, armor tight against his frame. Casually Trion reached past Ratchet to a higher shelf and Ratchet ducked out of his way, still warily watching the Council mech.

"That's a bit advanced for a miner, don't you think?" He asked, glancing at the screen of the datapad before looking over at Ratchet. "I mean no offence by that, but most Elite mechs would have a hard time understanding that. Myself included."

"He's smart." Ratchet said carefully.

"I'm sure he is. They're all smarter then we give them credit." Trion continued. "Come with me for a moment, a very good friend of mine was hoping he would see you again."

Trion causally turned away, not even glancing back at Ratchet and nervously the yellow mech followed him to one of the small private study rooms. He gestured Ratchet toward the door and it slid open.

"-that there never was a caste system."

Ratchet froze in the doorway, staring at the red and blue youngling facing away from him, sitting on a stool as he hunched over the too tall table.

The caste systems didn't always exist?!

"Are you going in or not?" Trion rumbled gently and Ratchet stepped aside as the bigger mech strolled in.

"It only came into existence some two thousand metacycles after the Quintesson Wars." The youngling continued muttering to himself. "It was put in effect by a mech designated- Trion!"

The youngling glanced up with a grin as Trion walked up beside him.

"Not quit Orion." Trion replied with a chuckle, before gesturing toward Ratchet. "I found a friend of yours."

Orion spun around completely on the stool to face Ratchet.

"You're here!"

"What have I told you about volume in the Hall." Trion said firmly and Orion slumped.

"Sorry." He mumbled before perking up again.

"Sir I must object to this." A harsh voice said before Orion could speak and Ratchet abruptly realised that they were not alone in the study room. Two black mechs, one with a visor, the other with glaring blue optics. Both had the thick, but sleek armor of the Elite Guard. A third mech, and one that he instantly recognised, was hovering in the shadows by the door. Ratchet ducked his helm, hoping the mech wouldn't recognise him.

"My job is to protect you and Orion. I cannot allow _him_ to be in here." The mech growled. "Especially him."

Ratchet winced. So much for not being recognised. The mech had been the one to almost shoot Sterling.

"Ripsaw, Ratchet is of no threat to either of us." Alpha Trion said with a scowl. "Now go away. I can't stand having you three hover!"

"But-"

"Out!"

The mech scowled but the two in the corner walked over to him.

"We will be outside." Ripsaw said respectfully before leaving, sliding the door shut behind him. Ratchet could still detect one of the mechs outside by the door with Ripsaw and the other moved farther away.

"You can relax Ratchet, they cannot hear us." Alpha Trion said with a smirk, pulling a large chair away from the table and sinking into it across from Orion. "Have a seat."

Nervously, Ratchet pulled a chair over to the head of the table, and sat down, setting his datapads that he was going to take out on the side of the table.

"Why didn't Sterling take the credits?" Orion blurted.

Ratchet started at him for a klick, trying to figure out what he was talking about.

"Orion asked you a question." Trion spoke up and Ratchet flinched, his armor tightening in discomfort.

"I asked Sire about it, about why they lied about who rescued us." Orion continued quietly. "He said that no one could know that it was a miner that rescued us. But I don't understand why. I mean…" Orion trailed off. "He scared me but he still helped us! And you said that they were good mechs most of the time."

"It's complicated." Ratchet said.

"Sire also said that they were poor and barely had enough credits to get by. So why would he refuse credits?" Orion asked.

"Because they don't care about that." Ratchet said carefully, watching Alpha Trion carefully. The Council member was making him far too nervous.

"But why not?"

"Because it's not what matters." Ratchet explained.

"Just tell him the truth. I won't repeat anything." Trion spoke up, meshing his digits together and resting his servos on the table. "What happens to those mechs is just an example of how corrupted the caste system is."

Ratchet started at the mech in alarm. What he was saying was all out treason.

"And I trust you not to repeat anything either." He continued.

"No sir." Ratchet replied before ex-venting sharply.

"Sterling told me later the next orn that…" He hesitated, glancing at Trion again nervously. He nodded his helm in encouragement and Ratchet shifted, settling his flared armor.

"Tell you what?" Orion prompted, bright blue optics locked on Ratchet's.

"He told me that if I hadn't been there, he never would have stopped them." Ratchet said, watching as shock crossed Orion's silver faceplates.

"But you said that they were good mechs. Why would they have-"

"I've told you Orion, because of the caste system they want nothing to do with us. More so recently." Trion added.

"They why do they trust Ratchet?" Orion asked.

"Ask him yourself." Trion said, direction Orion's attention back to the skittish yellow mech.

"Why do they trust you?"

"The only things that matter to mechs like Sterling, scrap, most of the mechs I know, is family. A lot of them don't even have that so the closest thing they have is friends. Or in the case of miners, their gang." Ratchet smirked. "Believe me, it took a long time before they didn't want to rip my helm off. Now, now we get along great."

"But the credits…" Orion repeated.

"I have never met anyone that is as loyal to each other as Dusty's gang." Ratchet explained. "Credits can buy a lot of things but it can't buy loyalty."

"But Sire says that you can."

"That's not loyalty." Ratchet said, shaking his helm. "That's what I always thought. That if you had enough credits, you could buy anything. But you can't. Chrome and Dusty and the gang, they've proven that to me. You can't buy the kind of loyalty they have for each other. You can only earn it."

"So how do you win them over?"

"What do you mean?" Ratchet countered.

"Well, when Megatronus is Prime, I'm still gonna have some power over what goes on. I know the Council has the final say in everything but I can still do somethings on my own. I…" Orion trailed off. "I want to change things. Like you did."

"What?!"

"You've gotten the Council riled up 'Elite who dares to change his status'." Alpha Trion said in a serious tone. "I would strongly suggest you stay away from here."

"Here as in The Hall of Records? Or here as in Iacon?" Ratchet asked nervously.

"Word of you has spread Ratchet." Alpha Trion continued, ignoring the question. "Your sire is… not pleased."

"I don't care what he thinks of me." Ratchet said with a scowl.

"You should. Avalon has gone through a lot of trouble to ensure that your whereabouts are not broadcasted across the planet."

"What are you talking about?" Ratchet demanded.

"You're in Praxus. Studying under a mentor there for an indefinite amount of time." Trion said.

"What? But… my friends, they know I'm still here. My _roommate_!" Ratchet protested. "

"You don't think Avalon is powerful enough to bribe, or threaten, anyone he wants?" Trion asked gently.

"You mean he's threatened my friends to keep quiet about where I am?" Ratchet asked, horrified.

"And what's more, he's insured that any rumors about your location are silenced."

"Copper mentioned something about that a long time ago. I…I didn't put much thought into it though." Ratchet mumbled, dread making his tanks clench in fear.

"The Council will do anything to remain in control. They are not above bribery and threats." Trion said gravely. "But you already know that."

"They murdered those two miners." Ratchet confirmed. Alpha Trion scowled, optics darkening.

"Ratchet, I can't do nearly as much as you think I can. Outside of the Council, I have no power. All I can tell you is to be careful." He said gravely. "The Council sees you as a threat. If you do not keep a low profile, they will eliminate you."

"But he's Avalon's creation!" Orion objected. "And my friend!"

"My sire has cut me off Orion, he only cares about the trouble I get him into." Ratchet said quietly, his spark twisting painfully at the reminder.

"He… cut you off?" Orion asked in horror.

"When was this?" Trion asked, his own voice edged with concern.

Ratchet shrugged casually.

"When I walked out. That evening he severed our bond." Ratchet said quietly. "My creator just blocked it. I haven't felt her in metacycles."

"That's… That's wrong!" Orion sputtered. "It was never like this!"

"What are you talking about?" Ratchet asked.

"Here!"

Orion slid a datapad over to Ratchet and he picked it up.

"This thing is ancient." Ratchet said, examining the worn edges curiously.

"I've been transferring some of the oldest texts here onto new datapads." Trion explained. "Some of the oldest ones haven't been touched in generations. That one is long before even my time."

Ratchet started scanning the datapad. It was a history text. But the more he read, the more he was confused.

"I don't recognise any of this." Ratchet stammered, glancing up at Trion in confusion. "I mean, fine I didn't take a history major but I still remember some stuff. This? This is completely foreign."

"Orion?" Trion prompted.

"Trion said that one is just shy of eight thousand metacycles old." Orion jumped in excitedly. "It was written by a mech designated…."

He spaced out for a nano-klick before shaking his helm. "Nope, don't remember that part."

"Go on." Trion encouraged.

"Anyways," Orion said. "After the Quintesson Wars, old documents were found about the times _before_ the Quintesson took over. They re-established a council of 13 to represent the original 13 Primes."

"I know that much." Ratchet interrupted. He remembered leaning about the Wars in

"Be quiet and let him talk. The youngling's smart." Trion snapped.

"_But!_" Orion continued. "The 13 Primes _never_ had a caste systems! It was only about two thousand years later that anything even close to frame discrimination started happening. Nobody knows when it started happening but eventually something similar to the caste system was formed. Mechs could still change their status if they worked hard enough or had enough credits. The problem was, fuel production was low and fuel rates started to climb as they faced a fuel shortage. The Council started making it harder and harder for a mech to change their status because they needed mechs for the manual labour. Eventually, it because impossible. No one objected to it though because Cybertron entered a golden age. The first since the Quintessons took over."

"Of course, the Council as we know it," Trion added, "wants this information to remain buried under dust. As far as anyone is concerned, this is how it's always been and always will be."

"Understood." Ratchet said quietly, trying to process what he had all been told. "What does that mean for me?"

"Ratchet, the last mech that willingly changed his status was before the Golden Age." Trion said. "I cannot tell stress how important it is for you to keep a low profile. Right now, they have bigger problems that I cannot discus then an Elite running around in the outer rings. Keep it that way."

"Why are you telling me this?" Ratchet asked, his armor flaring suddenly.

"Because this has to change." Trion said quietly, deliberately dropping his tone again even as his optics drifted toward the table top. "And you've started it. Whether this change is a good thing or not, I'm afraid I don't know."

"I didn't want to do something so drastic, I just wanted to help them." Ratchet said. "Nobody would."

"I know. All I can say, is be careful." Trion said quietly before glancing sharply back at the door. "Ripsaw is demanded that he come back in. I suggest you leave."

"Yes sir." Ratchet agreed, standing up as pushing the chair out of his way and picking up his datapads. "And thank you for the warning. I didn't know it was that bad."

"Bye Ratchet." Orion called quietly as Ratchet headed toward the door.

"Goodbye Orion." Ratchet replied before glancing back at Alpha Trion. The old mech was watching him with a strange look.

"I wish you luck Ratchet."

Ratchet dipped his helm to the mech before slipping out the door, datapads in servo.

ooOOoo

He couldn't get out of the Hall fast enough, Orion's and Alpha Trion's words ringing in his audios. A weird chill had worked its way deep under his armor and chilled him to his spark. Nervously he glanced back to the massive Hall of Records. The towering columns and smooth polished metal was abruptly pressing in on him and he craved the rough and open landscape of the mine. Glancing one last time back at the Hall, he started toward the road.

Only for the deafening blare of an air horn, the scream of too-weak airbrakes, and the horrific crunch of metal hitting metal. Ratchet spun horrified to look farther down the highway where he could see a semi flipped on it's side.

He was moving toward the crash before he even realised he had transformed, racing down the highway in time to hear the harsh grating of a mech forcing a transformation. Just as he raced up to the accident the semi hauled himself to his peds, the grill on his chassis badly dented and his entire right side was scraped raw. Energon dripped down his side from the crash but other than brutal road burn, he was alright. But it was the second ID signature, the one trapped under the massive steel pipes the mech had been hauling, that he was terrified for.

Skidding to a stop at the back of the trailer and transforming, he immediately saw the streak of energon extending down the highway.

"Someone's under those!" He yelled, reaching for one of the chains keeping the load together. The mech's weak spark signature was trapped just under the trailer and the last pipe. In theory, if he could get rid of the chains, the pipes would fall away and he could get to the mech.

"Get away from tha' load!" The semi snarled, limping heavily as he stormed up. Ratchet spun to face him, golden optics flashing in anger and the mech hesitated.

"There is another mech under here now get those chains off so I can get to him!" He spat, glaring at the green optic mech.

"Ya can't move 'em. They too big." He growled, leaning heavily against the overturned trailer.

"He will _terminate_!" Ratchet spat.

"Ya can't move 'em!" The mech repeated.

"Then I will!"

With a low growl he reached up, grabbing the chain and sharp optics seeing just how stressed the chain was. He hauled himself up the side of the load onto the side the trailer, balancing along the edge back to the front. With a high pitched whine, the power saw he'd gotten as an upgrade a few cycles ago folded out of his bracer, taking the place of his servo. With a shriek he sheared through the chain, the whole load shifting with a crash.

"Wha' ya doing!" The mech yelled, jumping back out of the way as the trailed lurched. Ratchet just kept his balance crouching on the edge of the trailer.

"Getting him free!" Ratchet yelled, scrambling along the trailer edge to cut the next one. The load jerked again and this time he nearly fell off the back of the trailer.

"Ya glitch ya gonna dump tha' all over tah road!"

"It's either that or he's gonna terminate!" Ratchet snapped, cutting the last chain.

The entire load shuddered, the pipes falling away with a crash and the twisted trailer falling back onto its tires, the chains snapping around like whips. Ratchet just managed to jump out of the way, the whistle of the chain just missing his helm. Darting back to his peds, he bolted back around the trailer, scrambling over a waist high pipe to get to the half crushed form.

One of the pipes had twisted, still crushing the mech's chassis and Ratchet bit back a snarl, realising there was no way to get the mech free.

"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to help me already!" Ratchet snapped, turning to glare at the mech.

"Ah told ya, those cant beh moved!" He growled.

Ratchet snarled under his breath before he got to work. With the massive pipe crushing him, the mech's vents were trapped closed and flooding with energon. He would overheat and suffocate in moments.

"I- I think I can help."

Ratchet spun to see a very short stocky mechling standing a few feet away. The red and grey youngling was barely mid-thigh tall and his stocky frame gave away his minibot frame.

"You can't help." Ratchet replied curtly, just managing to clamp off a line.

"I can move the pipe."

It was the dead-set way the mechling said it that made Ratchet glance back at him.

"How." He demanded.

"I-I have a gift…" The youngling trailed off nervously.

"You're an outlier." Ratchet supplied.

"Yes."

Ratchet paused, glancing around sharply before focusing back on the skittish youngling.

"You show off and mechs will be after you." Ratchet said.

"He's my brother." The youngling replied quietly.

"Do what you have to." Ratchet said. The youngling nodded before he shook his arms out, spreading his peds to brace himself.

Optics on the ground, his vents stalled for a moment and his armor tightened against his frame as he focused.

Ratchet nearly jumped out of his armor as the pipe shuddered before slowly lifting a few inches.

"What…the… frag…?" He stammered in alarm as the pipe continued to lift. He glanced back at the minibot in alarm to see him standing with his arms extended toward the pipe, a huge magnetic field radiation from the mech. It was making his scanners go haywire and he no longer could keep tabs on the mech.

The pipe shifted over before crashing to the ground a few feet away from them and the minibot collapsed to his knee bolts and servos, panting for air as his entire frame trembled.

"Are you-" Ratchet started to ask.

"I'm fine." The minibot panted, slowly getting back to his knee bolts.

"You need to leave now." Ratchet said, reaching toward the injured mech to continue working. Even without his scanners he knew the mech was in horrible shape.

"But-"

"Now! I'll make sure he's taken care of!" Ratchet snapped. The mini nodded before standing, still panting for air and glanced around. He took a step back, then another, then ran. Ratchet watched him leave before refocusing on the damaged mech. Now that the minibot mentioned it, they did have a similar frame style and colors. It was also the only thing that probably saved his life. Minibots were notoriously impossible to offline.

Sirens off in the distance caught his attention and he jerked his helm up in time to see three medics come racing up, two low slung racers and a bulker ambulance.

The racer in the lead exploded into her bipedal form, the slim white femme with red medical crosses on her shoulder guards running toward him. The other racer, a green and white mech was quick to follow her.

"Voltage, check the other mech!" The femme barked as she all but shoved Ratchet out of the way to crouch beside the mini. "Hardlift with me!"

"Hs sparkchamber is still intact, and I've repaired as many primary and secondary lines to his sparkchamber and other primary systems. His coolant system is still down and his vents flooded and I haven't been able to drain them yet." Ratchet rattled off as he scrambled out of the way.

"You're just an apprentice." The femme, her ID signature identifying her as Tempest said, almost all her attention on the mech.

"I had to do something. Nobody else would." Ratchet defended, his engine rumbling in warning.

"Probably saved his life." The mech replied with a shrug, crouching down beside the femme as they both clamped of lines at a rapid pace that even Chrome couldn't match.

"Volt!" Tempest yelled.

"He's mobile, I'm taking him back to the medbay for a checkup." The other mech, blue with dark green pinstripes called back. "Need help?"

"Yes." Tempest replied and Heavylift stood up. He backed off before transforming, a stretcher sliding out of the back hatch. The other mech came jogging up and together they lifted the minibot onto the stretcher.

"Where are you taking him." Ratchet demanded, taking a step forward. Tempest turned to give him a flat look.

"You're not coming along!" She objected.

"He's my patient, he's my responsibility."

"Come on Temp, let the apprentice come!" Heavylift replied. The femme scowled before glaring at Ratchet.

"Stay out of our way." She growled before folding down into her altmode and racing off, sirens screaming. Hardlift was quick to follow her and Ratchet transformed as well, racing after the two.

ooOOoo

Ratchet had been to the Iacon Medbay as a youngling. It was Icon's biggest medical ward and one of the most advanced on the planet. It was also where everyone of importance went.

Ratchet slowed as they raced up the ramp to the emergency entrance. While he knew the chances were slim, the last thing he wanted was to run into his sire.

"You coming or not!" Tempest yelled as she transformed at the door. Ratchet drove over, transforming to stand out of the way as she pulled the stretcher out. The stretcher hovered at waist height as she pulled it toward the doors. Heavylift transformed, waving Ratchet over as he followed the femme in.

The smell of sterilizer hit him like a wall as he followed Heavylift into the medbay. Tempest and the minibot had already taken off and he was about to go after them when Heavylift grabbed his bracer.

"I'll keep you posted." He said firmly, hinting that Ratchet wasn't allowed to follow them farther. Ratchet nodded and Heavylift took off, leaving Ratchet standing in the hallway.

He tapped into the medbay's wireless network to find the closest place to clean up and started toward it.

"Ratchet?"

He spun around at the familiar voice, grinning as Nova walked over.

"What are you- you're damaged!" She stammered, freezing before running to his side.

Ratchet glanced down at the energon streaking his servos and armor. He'd wiped as much of the stuff as possible but there was still residue.

"No, I'm fine. There was a crash-"

"Between a semi and a minibot. Yeah, Quicklight is helping Driveshaft with that. The mini's in bad shape I heard. But why are you covered in energon?" Nova asked.

"I was there at the crash. I don't know what happened but the semi's load landed on the mini." Ratchet explained, gesturing to his energon stained frame. "I managed to get most of the load off of him and stabilise him before the medics showed up."

"You worked on him?" She asked carefully.

"He would have terminated otherwise." Ratchet replied.

"Have you hit your helm one too many times?" Nova hissed abruptly.

"What are you talking about?"

"You're not qualified to work on mechs without a qualified medic with you!"

"What was I supposed to do, let him leak out?" Ratchet asked.

"You should have waited for the medics. You could get into a lot of trouble." Nova said, still frowning. "At least come and get cleaned up."

Ratchet followed Nova down another hall before she slid open a staff only door and waved him into the small washrack. He quickly washed up before following Nova back outside into the hallway.

"When will he get out of surgery?" Ratchet asked as they walked down the hallway.

"I don't know. Why?"

"Because I said I would watch out for him. His brother was there." Ratchet explained.

"Then why isn't he here?" Nova asked as they walked into a waiting room.

"He's an outlier." Ratchet said quietly dropping his tone.

"An outlier?"

"Yeah, I hope he made it, that's all I can say." Ratchet replied.

"Me too. Wait here, I'll go find out about him." Nova said before she turned and walked away.

ooOOoo

Ratchet had already commed Chrome that he couldn't come in that orn and the medic was more than understanding. He'd also commed Axil to tell him he wouldn't be able to get him the datapads till later and to tell Focus he might be home late. His roommate had been a little paranoid but Ratchet had assured him that everything was fine.

He'd just started to doze off as it was almost midnight.

"He did what?!"

The loud yell jolted him back online and he sat up straighter from his slouched position.

"Is he glitched?!"

Ratchet stood up in confusion as Quicklight stormed into the room, green optics vivid with anger.

"What are you talking about?" Ratchet demanded.

"Do you not care about your career at all? You're lucky that was just a minibot, if that had been anyone else they could have your degree taken away!" The silver and blue mech snarled.

"What do you mean just a minibot." Ratchet demanded, flaring his armor.

"Exactly that!" Quicklight snapped. "Anyone else and they would have had your license stripped from you! Just because that mech calls himself a medic doesn't mean you can go around operating on mechs whenever you feel-"

"That mech would have terminated if I hadn't been there!" Ratchet cut in.

"Chrome may let you do whatever you want outside of the rings but there are laws in place for a reason!" Quicklight yelled.

"Enough!"

Ratchet snarled lowly as he took a step back from Quicklight as another mech stormed into the room. It took a moment but Ratchet eventually recognised the two tone blue medic. Driveshaft, Nova and Quicklight's mentor.

"What is going on here?" Driveshaft demanded hotly, bright blue optics daring between Ratchet and Quicklight.

"You're so worried about those miners of yours, what would happen if you did lose your licence." Quicklight snarled. "Then who'd take care of them."

Abruptly he turned away with a snarl, storming off.

"Quicklight!" Driveshaft called after him. He turned back to Ratchet, blue optics hard.

"What are you doing here." He demanded.

"I was waiting for someone. He was in an accident and I was waiting to find out if he would be alright." Ratchet replied, struggling to keep his tone level.

"He's recovering Ratchet." Nova spoke up, walking into the room. "He'll make it."

"You sure?" Ratchet asked. "I suddenly don't trust anyone as much as I used to."

"Are you implying that he would not get proper care in _my_ medical bay?" Driveshaft demanded.

"Call me paranoid." Ratchet said. "Waiting for the ceiling to collapse on your helm does that to a mech."

"You're underground?" Driveshaft demanded, unable to hide his disgust.

"Yes." Ratchet replied coolly, standing just a little straighter in pride.

"And you dare come this far into Iacon." Driveshaft asked.

"I have every right to be here."

"Not anymore you don't _Ratchet_."

Ratchet went rigid in horror as another mech walked into the room. His slim, sleek armor was a slightly different shade of yellow, less florescent then Ratchet's but his optics were the same piercing gold.

"Driveshaft, if I may have a word with my _creation_." Avalon asked, glancing at the two tone blue medic.

The word was said like it left a bitter taste in his mouth. But Ratchet knew the feeling. He wanted to purge his tanks as well.

"Of course sir." Driveshaft said respectfully before he left, nudging Nova outside the room as well.

"I'm not here to cause trouble." Ratchet said, watching his sire carefully. The severed bond started to throb again and Ratchet forced the pain to the back of his processor. He'd lived with it for metacycles, he could ignore it more.

"Of course not. You're smarter than that." Avalon replied, gold optics burning.

"I'm only here for a friend." Ratchet said carefully, feeling his armor flare.

"That minibot that was brought in. I heard he was in a bad crash. You worked on him."

"That should have been confidential." Ratchet growled.

"Nothing is confidential to me." Avalon said with a small smile that screamed just how dangerous the mech really was.

"If he's alright, then I'll be going." Ratchet said lowly, moving past Avalon. His sire shot a servo out to grab his shoulder guard and Ratchet went rigid.

"You've thrown your lot in with them." Avalon hissed, dropping his tone to barely above a whisper.

"I have a right to be here." Ratchet growled. "You can't enforce locking me out of Iacon. You can't risk the publicity arresting me would cause."

Avalon's lip plates quirked up in a smirk.

"Who said anything about being arrested?"

Ratchet froze in horror, his spark racing at the threat.

"You threatened my friends." Ratchet accused. "Didn't you."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Avalon replied levelly. "But I do know that what you are accusing me of is enough to have you shot."

Ratchet tried to jerk his arm free but Avalon tightened his grip, his long thin digits gouging Ratchet's armor.

"Let me make one thing clear." Avalon said, "You lost your right to Iacon when you severed your bond to me."

"As I recall," Ratchet snarled back, locking optics with the taller mech, "you were the one to sever the bond from me."

He wrenched his arm free and stormed off, but Avalon's words froze him solid again.

"If I ever see you in Iacon again, you'll be treated just like them." Avalon said quietly. "Just like you wanted. Isn't that right Ratchet?"

Ratchet didn't respond other than to force his armor flat again and walk away. Iacon was too dangerous for him. He wouldn't be safe anymore in the place he once called home.

* * *

**Don't worry, that confrontation at the end with Avalon isn't THE confrontation that everyone is waiting for. That's still to come. As well as a slag load of drama. Hee hee! Can't wait! See you all next week!  
**


	19. Threat

**Hey everyone! So, ha, imagine that, i took off on another rabbit trail. Now why the heck would i do that? So anyways, i went and hammered out this chapter in two days. The next one is long finished... heh heh... but this one was fun to write. I got to channel my inner Deception again. Or more accurately, my inner Avalon.**

**So technically, the 150th review was a guest so the first one to review for this chapter gets a oneshot of their choice. Remember, no slash and depending on what it is, i may or may not do a spoiler :D**

**Also, I've noticed a pattern. Apparently Avalon is very disliked. Just something I've noticed. **

**Reviews!**

**Guest: I'm glad you like it so far, hope you like what's all to come. **

**Graceful-rain: Yeah, they aint happy. Trust me it gets worst. **

**Skyice99: Oh yeah, you can count on that. He's gonna get it. **

**HeartsGuardianSol: Yeah, he's a real spawn of a glitch. He's gonna get it. Eventually. **

**Techmouse6533: I've kinda got my weird tweak on all the cannon characters, a weird cross between movieverse/G1/ and what ever my brain comes up with. And yes, cliffies. Got to love them. **

**Answerthecall: Trust me he will. It wont be for a long time but he'll get it. Trust me, with everyone's anger issues, there's no way he's gonna get away with everything he's done. **

**Child of Jon snow: Yeah, he's a little screwed right now. He and Focus. But don't worry, the gang makes another showing in this chapter. **

**InterstellerGazer: Yeah, 98% of the time I'll post on a Sunday, i have a lot of guest reviewers so its easier for them to keep track. Yeah, at this point he's really developing his own attitude toward things. It gets fun from now on. Not like we were having fun right now. **

**Neon:Gotta love the drama. Yeah, the miners are back in this chapter. And my aging in a little weird mostly because it makes my head hurt trying to figure out all that age/time conversion to earth time stuff. **

**Canikostar99: Yeah, everyone's alright. Not so much in this chapter :D**

* * *

"Sandstorm get back in here!" Chrome roared, making a lunge for the tan miner. Sandy put on another burst of speed and just managed to make it out the medbay doors before Chrome could deck him. With a snarl Chrome spun to face Jigsaw, a wrench clenched tight in his grip as he shook it at the other mech.

"You. Table. Now." Chrome snarled. "Ratchet! Deal with him! I'm going after that spawn of a glitch!"

"Which one?" Ratchet asked with a cheeky grin only to have to duck as the wrench went sailing toward his helm. "Wow you are in a mood."

He received a nasty snarl as Chrome stormed out of the medbay, another wrench in his servo.

"What in _pit_ is his problem?" Jigsaw asked nervously, staring after the medic with wide optics.

"Eh, he gets this way around checkups. Everybody likes to play scare and make him track them down." Ratchet replied with a shrug.

"That where Axil went?"

"Last time, he disappeared for two cycles and we didn't see him till after Chrome sent in the repots." Ratchet said with a grin. "His record is three cycles though. We all thought he'd terminated or something."

"Well, he's got another eleven orns to go then." Jigsaw chuckled.

"At this rate. Now sit down." Ratchet said with a sigh. "Pull a chair over to the table and use that, you're all to fraggin tall for me to do anything with."

"Doesn't help when everyone's ten feet taller then you." Jigsaw said with a grin as he settled into a chair, legs crossed loosely at the ankle joints.

"You're only five feet taller than me." Ratchet countered with a scowl, hip-checking the drawer to close it as he carried a tray full of tools. "Now be quiet."

Jigsaw scowled before sitting up straight again, eyeing the scalpel-looking devices on the tray beside him.

"It's a sharp scrapper for getting dirt out of gears. Relax. It makes my job easier." Ratchet said with an optic roll.

"I'll relax when you get that away from me." Jigsaw grumbled but he didn't move as Ratchet took his arm to examine the joint.

"Rest your servo on my shoulder guard but keep your arm relaxed." Ratchet said and after getting a weird look, Jigsaw did as told. Both servos free, Ratchet manually release the catch on his elbow joint, wincing when his grip tightened. "Keep your arm relaxed." He repeated.

After a moment, Jigsaw finally started to relax and Ratchet set to work gently digging metacycles worth of buildup out of gears.

"Primus mech, what have you done to yourself!"

"I work!" Said mech squawked, his voice rising a few octaves as Ratchet dug a large chunk of metal out from between the gear teeth. "I can't afford to disappear for two cycles!"

"He'd better show up next orn though if we're gonna get that big crystal down." Ratchet said before concentrated on getting the grit out of the mech's joint. As he settled into the easy rhythm he noticed the miner slowly relaxing.

"Flex your arm." Ratchet ordered, gently closing up the armor of the joint.

"Feels good." Jig replied, slowly twisting his arm as it smoothly responded. "Feels great actually."

"Shoulder's next. Get your armor off."

Jigsaw gave him another look before the catches disengaged and he easily maneuvered the armor to the table and out of the way. Shoulder joints were trickier to maintain as the protoform that protected a mech's internal systems gave way to the exposed ball-and-socket joint. The pivoted ends of three massive hydraulic cylinders were also exposed in the joint. One that was anchored in the mech's chassis, and two that linked his shoulder joint to his elbow joint. A forth, equally vital and powerful cylinder was anchored at the back of the joint and the mech's spinal support.

Unlike the much tighter armor around a mech's elbow joint, the shoulder joint was more exposed with only the mech's heavy armor as a barrier. With a far more complicated system of cylinders, joints and hinges, as well as the various fluid lines and wires, the loose armor made it more flexible.

Jigsaw hissed sharply, jerking away from Ratchet with a low growl as he worked on the other shoulder joint.

It also made it far more sensitive.

"Sorry, but you're still twitching." Ratchet said, glaring at the mech as he gently nudged a thick bundle of wires out of the way.

"That hurts." Jigsaw grumbled.

"Then stop moving." Ratchet repeated, shifting slightly to get a better angle. "I'm almost done."

A few klicks later and Jigsaw rotated his arm again slowly, resettling his armor, Ratchet watching the way the mech flexed his arm.

"Good?"

"I admit you did a good job." Jigsaw said hesitantly, still examining his arm curiously. "Feels real good."

"Told you it would. Now get up on the table. Legs are next." Ratchet said, taking a step back to give the bigger mech room. Without protesting Jigsaw stood, rolling his shoulder joints again with a content sigh.

"Haven't felt that good in a long time." He said as he settled onto the table. "Pit, haven't been treated that good in a long time."

The simple statement made Ratchet wince as he started examining the mech's knee bolt.

"I've heard all sorts of weird stories as to explain that." Ratchet said, poking the spider web of scars over Jigsaw's hipbolt to change the subject. "But what actually happened."

Jigsaw grinned.

"Oh, you see there was this little driller that had been harassing the gang-" He started.

"A beam fell and crushed his hipbolt." Chrome growled as he stalked in, dragging a half conscious Sandstorm after him. "Idiot got welded back together by an aft that dont know what a grinder is."

Ratchet chuckled as Jigsaw visibly slumped.

"My story is way more interesting." He grumbled as Ratchet kept working.

"Probably. You should hear some of the stories Sterling comes up with." Ratchet said with a grin. "Sparkeaters and drillers three miles long, I looked it up, longest recorded one was two miles long, and how he saved a beautiful young femme from scavengers and slag like that."

"Eh, it's entertaining. That's all that matters." Chrome added with a grin. "Keeps up the mood."

ooOOoo

"-found a place a few blocks from here, nice place, a little small but it's cheaper." Focus continued as Ratchet unlocked the apartment.

Rolling his optics, Ratchet chuckled.

"Focus, we don't need to move." He interrupted. "You're worrying too much."

"Because you don't worry enough!" Focus sputtered, shoving past the yellow mech with a huff. "Ratchet, your sire threatened to have you terminated!"

"My sire threatened me almost four groons ago! Nothing has happened and I've kept my helm down." Ratchet explained, closing the door. "You're being paranoid."

"Better than being too careless." Focus grumbled.

"I'm not being careless!" Ratchet objected.

"Fine! I take that part back." Focus replied with a scowl.

"Nothing has happened either here, at the mine, to you, to Nova, to Quicklight-"

"Alright alright!" Focus interrupted. "I get the point."

"Trust me, if he was going to do anything he would have done it all-"

Someone pounded on the door, making both mechs jump.

"-ready." Ratchet finished, sliding the door back open.

A scowling mech was standing at the door and Ratchet turned to glare at Focus.

"It wasn't me." He automatically responded.

"Actually it's you I wanted to talk to." Sprocket, the landlord growled, glaring at Ratchet.

"Me?" He repeated in confusion.

"You got a package out front. Big heavy thing and it's in the way." He said, gesturing down the hall. "And I just had a mech complaining of a funny smell."

"Package? I didn't order anything." Ratchet said in confusion, glancing back at Focus. The pale green mech shrugged, just as clueless.

"Well go deal with it." Sprocket ordered before he turned and left.

Ratchet closed the door after him before turning back to Focus.

"You don't think…" Focus trailed off, his armor puffing up in unease.

"That my sire would send me a bomb? No, he's not like that." Ratchet said with a shrug. "You didn't order anything?"

"No nothing." Focus said, shaking his helm.

"Guess we better investigate." Ratchet said with a shrug before opening the door and walking out again.

ooOOoo

The so called 'packaged' was actually a huge crate.

"Sweet Primus, what in pit have you been buying?" Focus asked as Ratchet started wide optic at the crate that was easily as big as his alt mode.

"I swear I didn't buy anything." Ratchet said. "Pit, I can't afford the _crate_ let alone whatever's inside it!"

"So how do you open it?"

"I have no idea." Ratchet said before walking closer to examine it. The silver crate had the same passcode lock on it that Orion's frame had. And the same, heavy duty, sealed exterior. But at the same time, he picked up that funny smell that Sprocket had mentioned.

"What does that smell like?" Ratchet asked, glancing at Focus as he walked up. It was a strange smell, a cross between acidic and very sweet."

"Yeah, it's familiar. I can't place it though." Focus confessed with a shrug.

With a frown Ratchet crouched down to examine the crate at optic level. A string of glyphs just under the lip caught his attention and he felt his vents seize.

"Level three advanced mechanical engineering, what's that mean?" Focus asked, hovering over Ratchet.

"It's the datapad I got Axil a while ago. He's read it five times." Ratchet stammered, his spark jumping into his throat. "It's his favorite one."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Focus asked.

"We haven't seen Axil in over a cycle." Ratchet whispered, his entire frame locking up with dread.

Carefully he typed in a single designation.

Avalon.

With a quiet click the crate unlocked.

"It wasn't pressurized." Ratchet said as he shared a look with Focus.

"Well open the thing already." Sprocket groused from where he had kept silent against the doorframe. A few other mechs and femmes from the apartment were also hovering in curiosity and muttered their agreements.

His armor flared nervously, Ratchet started to open the crate.

Only to drop the lid with a gasp as the stench of acidic smell of burnt circuitry and sweet smell of rotten energon overwhelmed him.

"What in primus- what the frag terminated in there!" Focus demanded, staggering back.

But that sick sense of dread got worse in Ratchet's tanks and steadying himself for the worst, he opened the lid again.

A large mesh tarp was draped over something, energon soaking though in places. A cracked datapad sat on top and with trembling servos Ratchet reached for it. The screen flickered before lighting up.

Level Three Advanced Mechanical Engineering.

"Axil!" He cried out, ripping the tarp aside in horror.

"Someone's in there?!" Sprocket stammered, straightening in alarm.

"Focus help me!" Ratchet begged as the miner's weak spark signature finally registered on his scanners. The miner was stuffed into the crate in an unnatural position, his kneebolts crushed up against his chassis, his helm almost touching his kneebolts. His arms were bent behind his back and Ratchet could see where a cable was still wound around his wrist joints.

Energon coated his entire frame and had started taking on the greenish texture of rotten energon.

"Focus!" Ratchet called again, tuning only to see the mech a few feet away, purging his tanks. Everyone else had backed off and the apprentice medic wasn't the only one losing the contents of their tanks. With a low snarl Ratchet slammed a command on the keypad and the crate fell apart at the seams.

To his relief Axil moved, a weak cry escaping his vocal processor as he shifted, struggling to get his peds under him.

"Axil! It's me!" Ratchet cried, lurching forward to grab the mech's shoulder guard before he could hurt himself.

Only for Axil to jerk away, trembling as his vocaliser sputtered in pain, his vents heaving for air as he finally managed to get his legs half under him and sit up.

"Axil, Axil you have to calm down!" Ratchet stammered, once again reaching for the mech. "It's me Ratchet!"

The miner froze, badly dented and cracked plating flaring under Ratchet's servo. He stared in horror at just how thin the plates were and the lack of shine from healthy protoform underneath.

"Ra-?" Axil managed to force out before sparks shot from his throat, his vocal processor cutting off with a sharp hiss of static. He gave a wet cough, his vents sputtering again.

"It's me, you're safe." Ratchet repeated, feeling energon build at the back of his throat as he scanned the mech.

He'd been beaten badly and had the usual cracked and broken plating and cut protoform. But what worried him was internal.

Most of his non-vital systems had shut down, almost 86 percent of his protoform had been cannibalised by his own systems and his armor was half the thickness it should have been.

The mech was starving.

"What happened to you." Ratchet demanded, moving his servo down to the miner's wrist. He pulled a scalpel from subspace and started sawing though the cables, untangling the cable from his wrist joints. Axil whimpered in pain as Ratchet removed the last of the cable and Ratchet tasted sparks as he clenched his denta. Circulation had been cut off the cable had been so tight and Axil was lucky he didn't lose both his servos. "Who did this to you?" Ratchet asked again.

"My optics…" Axil hissed quietly and Ratchet froze. Not once had the miner lifted his helm toward him.

"Axil, let me see your face." Ratchet demanded, shifting his position so that he was now in front of the miner. Again the dark grey mech flinched way from him but Ratchet didn't back down. Gently gripping the miner's jaw he forced him to look at him.

And regretted it as he tasted half-processed energon flood the back of his throat.

All that was left of the miner's normally cheerful red optics were shredded tubes, melted wires and broken glass. Grooves had burned down the miner's faceplates and explained the smell. Energon continued to drip from shredded tubes and had the greenish tinge of it slowly rotting.

"They burned your optics." Ratchet gasped, releasing Axil. The miner's helm tipped forwards, resting on Ratchet's shoulder guard as the miner trembled, vents coming hard and wet as what miniscule energy he still had vanished, leaving him dangerously weak.

"You got to calm down, you're going to have an attack." Ratchet whispered, servo moving to steady the mech as he trembled.

"Ratchet!"

The yellow mech spun around as best as he could with Axil clinging to him to see where Focus was pointing a trembling digit down the alley.

Two figures, both with thick yet sleek black armor and burning blue optics started back at him. Ratchet felt his spark freeze as the bigger of the two smirked before dragging a digit across his throat. The other was chuckling quietly and before Ratchet even realised it, both had stepped backwards into the shadows and disappeared.

"Elite Guard." He said quietly and Axil's vents seized. "Axil!"

The miner coughed, energon dripping from under his thin chassis from his vents and Ratchet felt panic start to set in.

"Axil, you got to let me go, I have to work on you!" Ratchet begged, trying to pry the miner's iron grip from his bracer. Desperately he turned to Focus. The pale green mech was instantly at his side and Axil failed backwards, legs coming up against his chassis as his vents stalled again.

"Calm down, it's Focus, you remember him." Ratchet said quietly, gently forcing the miner's kneebolts down. Axil gasped for air, his grip re-established on Ratchet's bracer and the apprentice winced as the armor cracked. "It was the Guard that did this to you wasn't it." Ratchet demanded.

Axil nodded weakly, mouth open as he panted for air and his destroyed optics still on the ground.

"Can you transform, we have to get out of here, it's not safe." Ratchet said, squeezing Axil's bracer with his free servo. "I'll help you but we have to leave!"

He could hear the uneasy murmurs of the crowd and the disgusted looks they shot at him. But more than anything, he could feel the burning glare of hidden Guard and it made his armor stand on edge.

"Axil please, you have to try." Ratchet begged, desperation starting to set in.

"Can't see-"

"We'll help you." He repeated, glancing at Focus for confirmation. "We have to get to Chrome-"

He cut himself off as he realised he hadn't even commed the medic.

"**Chrome! Fraggit where are you!" **He yelled as Axil started to cough again.

"**Ratchet? What's wrong!" **Chrome demanded.

"**I found Axil, the Guard beat the slag out of him and he's starving-"**

"**What?!"**

"**They stuffed him in a crate and left him at my place."** Ratchet continued, armor flaring abruptly as he caught one mech mention calling the Enforcers. **"Chrome, I don't think he can transform, he can't even stand."**

"**Fraggit, and I'm guessing he's right out in the open?" **Chrome asked.

"**Chrome, they burnt his optics."**

Silence came from the other end and Ratchet knew that the medic was shocked into speechlessness.

"**Chrome?"**

"**They did **_**what?!**_**"**

"**I- I don't know if we can fix them."** Ratchet said quietly, the fact alone scaring him almost as much as the threat of Enforcers, or worse, Elite Guard.

"**Ratchet you **_**have**_** to get him out of there! They will**_** terminate**_** him because of this." **Chrome stressed. **"I don't care if you have to drag him here, get him out of Iacon before Copper finds out! I'll meet you as soon as I can."**

Ratchet nodded even though he knew that Chrome couldn't see it and refocused on Axil.

"Come on Axil, you have to try." Ratchet stressed, gently pulling on the mech's arm. "We have to leave before Copper finds out. If he doesn't already."

That seemed to shock the miner out of his stupor and he nodded, slowly moving his peds under him.

"That's it, come on." Ratchet encouraged as he helped the miner get to his peds. His entire weight was on Ratchet though and even though the mech was still heavy, he was far too light to be healthy. Standing, Ratchet could see just how thin the miner was, his plating not even covering his frame in places and wiring and tubes exposed as his protoform was cannibalised.

"Come on, we got to move." Ratchet repeated as Focus helped stabilise the weak mech. Axil stumbled, dropping to his knee bolt with a quiet cry of pain. Ratchet was instantly beside him again as the mech shook. "Axil, you can do it, come on! We have to get out of here."

"Take 'em around back." Sprocket ordered, walking up. "You can wait there."

"Thank you." Ratchet said quietly, once again pulling Axil to his peds.

"Don't thank me. I just want him out of my way." The mech said, optics hard.

Ratchet nodded in understanding as he shifted Axil's arm over his shoulder guards.

"Come on Axil, one ped in front of the other." Ratchet mumbled, just loud enough for the mech to hear. Axil nodded mutely and took a step, his entire frame trembling. They somehow managed to get around the back of the building and Axil collapsed coughing and choking to the ground.

"Easy, just vent." Ratchet said quietly, resting a servo on the mech's thin shoulder guard to steady him. "You're vents are flooded with energon you have to cough it out. In your mouth and out your vents. Slowly, that's it."

"Ratch, he needs medical attention." Focus said quietly. "Neither of us can do anything in a back alley."

"I know." Ratchet replied, just as quiet. "Chrome's on his way here. Are you coming with?"

"Where else would I go?" Focus asked.

Ratchet winced, glancing at the dark grey miner leaning against him. "I'm sorry."

Focus huffed in amusement.

"It wasn't your fault Ratchet. Avalon's the one that did this. And like I said, I found a place."

"I can't stay in Iacon." Ratchet said quietly. "That place is still in the Outer Rings. It's not far enough form the city."

"So I'll find us a different place! Ratchet you're my best friend, we're sticking together no matter what happens!" Focus objected, grabbing Ratchet's bracer to get the point across. "We're friends. I'm not going to up and disappear because of this."

Ratchet finally glanced up at Focus with a smile, moving his servo to squeeze Focus's still on his bracer.

"You really are a good friend." He mumbled, glancing away.

"Well somebody has to worry over your health." Focus said with a chuckle. "You sure don't."

Ratchet ignored the jibe as a familiar signal came into his scanner range. Sitting up straighter he watched as Chrome tore down the alley, transforming and sliding to a stop in front of them.

Axil immediately reared back in fear and Ratchet tightened his grip on his shoulder guard.

"Let's get you home Axil." Chrome said quietly, crouching beside the mech.

ooOOoo

"What the frag happened!" Dusty demanded as Ratchet and Chrome helped a barely conscious Axil into the medbay and got him onto the table as Focus hovered by the door.

"Avalon got him." Ratchet said, trying to stay focused and not have an emotional breakdown.

"What?!"

"Not now Dusty!" Chrome barked, glaring at the red mech and making sure he was between the miner and Axil's mutilated faceplates. "Ratchet get the medgrade!"

"Got it." Ratchet said, moving to his mentor's side.

"Dusty get out." Chrome growled again and with a dark look the red mech finally turned away. Ratchet glanced up as the doors slid shut before focusing back at Chrome.

"Why didn't you tell him?" Focus asked, walking over but staying well out of their way.

"He doesn't need the stress."

Focus didn't say anything as Ratchet hooked Axil up to a steady feed of medgrade.

"Frag, we could use a mineral additive." Chrome growled, glaring at the cupboards with a scowl before back to Axil. "Medgrade will have to do. Hopefully that will clean out the rotten fuel in his lines as well."

"I guess you don't have any?" Ratchet asked, glancing over at Focus. "Minerals?"

"No." Focus replied weakly, his EM field pulling tight against his frame.

Chrome quickly inserted his datacord into the back of Axil's neck and the miner flinched, whimpering quietly before going completely limp.

"Vocal processor is just about shot." Chrome said as he backed out of the miner's processor.

"Ya think." Ratchet muttered darkly and earning a concerned glance from Chrome.

"There's nothing we can do without minerals for his frame. Thank Primus rust infection hasn't set in in his optics yet. His vocal processor will repair itself eventually." Chrome continued, shining a light into the miner's gaping optical sockets. "Can you grab some tweezers while I hold his helm steady?"

"You want _me _to do it?!" Ratchet stammered in surprise.

"Your servos are steadier then mine." Chrome said quietly, moving to Axil's helm. "And they're smaller."

Ratchet nodded nervously before going and getting the slim tool and taking a step forward. Chrome held Axil's helm steady as Ratchet started pulling the broken shards of glass from the miner's optical sockets.

"They shattered them first." Ratchet murmured, the only thing keeping him from purging was the fact that the miner was in stasis and wasn't feeling anything. "Actually it looks like they stabbed them with something. Probably to shatter the lenses and gears."

"Those pit-spawn fraggers." Chrome hissed lowly, jaw clenched in anger.

"They poured acid into the wounds. The…" Ratchet swallowed the need to purge as he continued pulling glass out of the destroyed socket. "The circuitry… it's gone."

"What do you mean?" Chrome demanded.

"There's… there's nothing left of the circuitry." Ratchet said in a weak voice. "Everything is just melted and burnt to nothing. What's left is fused to his protoform and is useless. "

"Is there anything that's salvageable?" Chrome asked.

"No… no there's… there's nothing left." Ratchet repeated, not daring to lift his optics to see his mentor. "I… I don't think we can fix this."

"We have to. Copper will have him terminated."

"There's nothing _to_ fix!" Ratchet spat, optics shooting up to Chrome's in helpless anger. "This is what Avalon wanted! Me to feel useless and Axil-"

He cut himself off and had to back off for a klick, his servos trembling as he felt tears prick his optics. "Axil had to suffer because of me."

"Ratchet-"Focus started to say.

"Don't you dare say otherwise." Ratchet hissed, struggling to reign in his emotions. "Axil could be blind for the rest of his suddenly very short life and it's my fault. If I had never taught him to read, he wouldn't have become a target."

Focus didn't respond and Ratchet went back to work trying to salvage the miner's optics. But deep down, he knew that his medical coding was correct in that it would be impossible to repair that kind of circuitry damage.

"He would be a very different mech if you hadn't taught him to read." Chrome said so quietly that Ratchet almost missed it. "Ratchet he loves to read, you know that. Ask him when he comes online, he'll tell you he would rather have learnt to read and write and suffer though this then never have touched a datapad in his life. You know it. We all know it."

"What are we going to do about the open wounds?" Ratchet asked quietly, desperate to change the subject and unsure how to even respond to that.

"The safest thing would be to just weld templating over his optics." Chrome said just as quiet.

"Then we might as well paint a target on his back." Ratchet bit out. "Let the whole planet know he's blind?"

"We can't leave 'em open like that." Chrome countered. "You know that. Best case scenario he terminates slow and agonising from rust infection in his processor."

"What about his visor?" Ratchet asked. "That black one he uses when he's working on armor."

"That thing? Yeah, I suppose it would work for a while." Chrome said. "I don't have any extras though, he has them all in subspace."

"And there's nothing that can be done for the energon poisoning?" Ratchet asked, feeling his tanks clench with guilt again.

"No, not that _I _can do anyways. I don't have nearly enough energon to flush his systems." Chrome confessed. "As much as I threaten doing it, I dont have the energon."

"Then all we can do is wait." Ratchet said, worry filling his voice.

"As hard as it is, yeah. Axil's injuries…" Chrome trailed off, shaking his helm. "They're not standard 'miner injuries'."

"How does Copper fit into this?" Ratchet asked nervously.

"He doesn't know. I'm positive of that." Chrome said firmly. "If he did, he would have been here waiting for Axil. He doesn't know. But as soon as he sees my reports he's going to know something is off. He knows that we're going to try and get that big crystal next orn so he'll want to know why we don't have it."

"I'll take his place then." Ratchet said. "I'll help Dusty get it down."

"You still don't like heights."

"Neither does Axil."

"Alright. That will give us two, maybe four cycles if we're lucky." Chrome said with sigh.

"We'll figure something out by then." Ratchet said. "We have too."

"And what about you?" Chrome asked. "You don't expect me to believe that you're going to go back to that apartment."

"I can look for a place. It might be a while though." Focus spoke up again.

"That place of yours isn't safe." Chrome said hesitantly. "As long as you stay out of our way, you can spend the nights here."

"What about Sterling?" Ratchet asked.

"It's my medbay. And he won't be in here for a long time." Chrome added with a grin. "Not if he can help it."

"How long will you keep Axil in stasis?" Ratchet asked, glancing down at the unconscious miner.

"Few orns at least. Preferably more. His frame needs all the recovery time he can get."

"If you need minerals, I might be able get some off of my mentor." Focus added. "She's pretty understanding."

"That would be wonderful." Ratchet replied, glancing at Chrome. "It will speed his self-repair up for sure."

"But it won't fix his optics." Chrome said firmly. "Don't even get your hopes up and more importantly, don't you _dare_ get anyone else's hopes up. There nothing we can do."

Ratchet didn't respond as he glanced back at the stasis locked miner. Axil was going to terminate and it was all his fault. And the guilt was going to eat him alive.

* * *

**So originally I was going to kill off Axil in this chapter, just to shake everyone up a bit (and give me an excuse to hit the bunker again) and to show just how serious Avalon really is. But i like him to much, AND it gives me an excuse to introduce one of my favorite G1 characters and another well know character in a few chapters. So there, I'm not completely evil to poor Axil. Just temporarily.  
**

** Bonus points to anyone that figures out who the minibot youngling from the other chapter is. G1 fans hopefully will. It's really really hard writing an already lesser know character then turning them into a kid...  
**

**So yeah! Just another reminder, first to review gets a one-shot!**

**See you all next week!**


	20. Bait

**What's this? Another update? Would you look at that. AND as a bonus, it's part of the original plot! Lots of copy and paste! Woo hoo! Pretty much everything after this, (in theory and that never works) just needs a good overhaul. It technically doesn't need to be completely rewritten, (but I'm completely re-writing the next chapter anyways) so hopefully updates will be more constant!**

**...**

**Yeah not with my luck...**

**On a good note, ****Techmouse6533 got the 150th review! They requested Ratchet's first time in the field. I am going to have WAY to much fun with that. And yes, it will have a few spoilers if you know where to look. :D and i have no idea when it will come out.  
**

**That being said, again at 200 reviews I'll do another one. Same rules, no slash and yes i might do spoilers if i can get away with out blowing any of my huge plotbunnies apart. **

**REVIEWS!**

**The Tip of My Tongue: WE?! Who's we! And i can kill off who ever i want. And that just made me sound like some kind of terrorist... but no Axil doesn't die. **

**jazzStar2104: Welcome back :) Not quite right on the mini, but close. Like i said, not a lot of people pay attention to him. And hey, things were going to smoothly for Ratchet and the gang. Originally I was going to just stuff Axil's dead carcass in the crate and really shake everyone up but he's grown on me Such a big softy who never hurt anyone. And now i can have WAY more fun with him and introducing more canon characters. **

**Guest: Yes, yes I'm awful, and yes he does make it. **

**AlloraStar217: No not Cliffjumper and Bumblebee doesn't show up for a very freaking long time. And I never though about Axil as Jazz. Very interesting theory but i have a great depending on your sense of humor, i have a very weird one) way of introducing our favorite mech. **

**HoneyMudkip: I'm glad you like it so far. I'm having a blast writing in and messing with everyone. Hope you like what's to come. **

**TFSTARFIRE: Glad you like it. **

**Answerthecall: YES YES! Give it up for the meanest authoress out there. But he does live, i changed my mind about stuffing his dead carcass in that crate because i can have SO much more fun with him alive. I sound awful but its true. :D**

**HeartsGuardianSol: Ding ding! We got a winner. Yes, it was Windcharger. I plan on having him come back, those abilities will be useful in the upcoming chapters and his brother (oc, not cannon and probably wont ever get a name...) owes Ratch a favor...**

**DawnfireJazz:Yes he's a jerk and trust me, Avalon gets whats coming to him. **

**Skyice98: No he didn't but I'm cruel that way. Had to shake them up good and proper and remind Ratchet 'of his place'. Avalon's thoughts, not mine.**

**Child of Jon snow: He doesn't die. Not yet. :D**

**Canikostar99: Nope, not hoist. And that's fine, reading the IDW reminded me just how much i loved the cartoons and i;m kinda warping G1 into this fic as well. Oh well. It's already a weird combo, it will probably get weirder. Nope it's not Jazz but he will have his own spectacular entrance. But both "new" mechs are on my profile. :D But Jazz is easily one of my favorites.**

**Sunstreaker's Squishy: No, it's not Brawn. I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to introduce him. He'd make an entrance all right. **

**Techmouse6533: So i've started on the oneshot, no idea when I'll finish. In other words, totally normal for me... And a story that's character's don't have issues is boring. Drama drama! Must have drama!**

* * *

"Oh for fraggin' sakes don't mess up!" Carbon yelled up at the two mechs hanging from the ceiling of the cavern.

"Ya think?!" Dusty snapped, tilting his hem back to look down at the black miner. Opposite the massive crystal Ratchet shook his helm. While a metacycle underground with the miners had gotten him used to heights, hanging upside down, spread-eagle on the ceiling he just couldn't quite wrap his helm around. Dusty clung to the ceiling purely by his own grip strength and the short, razor sharp spikes jutting out his peds as he maneuvered himself as easily as a mech on solid ground would.

"Primus I regret volunteering to take Axil's place." Ratchet muttered.

"Yeah well, until he's up and running again, you'll have to do." Dusty said, his voice heavy. Guilt had been constantly gnawing at Ratchet but he forced himself to focus. Hanging 300 feet up in the air was not the time to get distracted.

"Here, make sure you anchor that tight." Dusty instructed, passing Ratchet a long thin cable. Making sure he was still securely wedged between two smaller but still massive crystals, he grabbed the cable, carefully feeding it though a pulley system before shifting again to pass it back around the other side. At least a dozen cables were wrapped around the crystal as they struggled to get the giant, 25 ton crystal safely down to the ground and the flat deck trailer Sterling had borrowed from another hauler.

"It's tight." Ratchet said, giving the cable a solid yank before handing it over to Dusty.

"Frag I hope this holds." The red miner growled lowly. "Ready!?" He yelled, the sound echoing though the cavern.

"Ready as weh'll ev'a beh!" Sterling called back.

"Frag, well, here goes nothing." Dusty said before he subspaced a small pickax and started chipping away at the root of the crystal. The steady tap tap filed the quiet cavern as the mechs on the ground took up the slack in the cables.

"You got the saw?" Dusty asked, glancing over at Ratchet a few klicks later as he subspaced the pick.

"Yeah." Ratchet replied, reaching beside him to grab a short cable and haul a long, two-mech saw up to them. He watched, his spark nearly stopping, as Dusty repositioned himself, only hanging onto the ceiling by three limbs. The anchor cable attacked to his chassis would catch him if he fell, but it was still a terrifying thought and would be a very painful drop all the same.

"Kay, pass it over."

Together, they started sawing the crystal off, using the narrow groove Dusty had just chipped in to keep the saw from slipping. Fifteen tense klicks later and they were only half way through the massive thing. Ratchet had to change positions as Dusty was effective stuck, carefully maneuvering himself around the jagged metals spurs sticking from the ceiling.

There was a quiet pop and a thin crack shot the rest of the way across the crystal.

"It's through, hope you mechs are ready." Dusty said before giving Ratchet a nod. Returning it and backing off, he clung to the safety cable as Dusty once again repositioned himself. Still clinging to the ceiling like a scraplet, he swung his peds down and around to brace against the crystal.

"Incoming!" He called before pressing against the crystal. With a pop that rivaled a gunshot, the thing snapped off at the base. The cables held as it was suspended above the cavern floor.

"Woah!"

With a yelp, Dusty lost his grip, falling till he came to a very painful, abrupt, stop at the end of his cable.

"Dusty!" Ratchet yelled, twisting to see the mech. Oh Primus not him too!

"I'm fine! Check the pulleys!" Dusty yelled back, twisting till he was upright again, and easily balanced.

"They're holding!" Ratchet called, maneuvering himself to see everything.

"Good, get that thing on the ground before something goes wrong." Dusty said, not making an effort to move.

"Ya 'eard em, slow now." Sterling instructed as slowly, they started lowering the crystal to the ground. Ratchet had watched and help them lower some of the bigger crystals but it had all been from ground level and this was the biggest so far. It was utterly fascinating as they lowered it down till it was just a few feet above the trailer. Sterling jumped up onto the trailer, flipping a lever that loosened some of the cables and slowly lowered one end of the crystal down till it was flat on the deck of the trailer.

"It's down!" He called as everyone cheered. Ratchet grinned before carefully making his way back to where his cable was last anchored. He released the cable, pulled the pulley and clamp free, and slowly worked his way back to the wall, subspacing the clamps as he went.

Dusty was already on the ground by the time Ratchet walked over and Chrome was already in rant mode at the miner.

"Glitched in the helm to think you could have pulled that off without falling!" Chrome snarled, smacking the miner upside the helm. "Axil's already in stasis, do you want to join him!"

"I knew I would fall!" Dusty protested and Ratchet saw the trickle of energon leaking out from under his chassis.

"You tore something." Ratchet said, scanning the miner to reveal that he has almost torn the safety clip off his frame and badly twisted the armor plates. Frag, that fall would have terminated him if he landed wrong.

"A little." Dusty said with a wince as Chrome shoved him flat.

"Glitch." Chrome spat, smacking the miner again as he got to work. "How you doing?" He asked Ratchet glancing up at the mech.

Ratchet grinned before holding his servos out before him. They were trembling.

"Probably the freakiest thing I've done. That was intense." He replied.

Chrome abruptly stiffened before scowling.

"What's wrong?" Ratchet asked.

"Chainjack, you remember him?" Chrome asked.

"Yeah, he's the gang a few miles over." Ratchet replied. "As I recall, you called him a glitched scraplet that doesn't give a flying retro-rat's aft about his gang."

"He just commed saying one of his mechs fell and busted his leg up pretty good."

"I'll go. I don't think I could go up there any time soon anyways." Ratchet said, glancing up at the ceiling nervously. "You're busy anyway.

"You're servos are still trembling though." Chrome said.

"Yeah, that's cause I left my spark up there somewhere. I'll be fine by the time I get there. Bedsides breaks are easy to repair." Ratchet said with a shrug.

"Suit yourself." Chrome said with a shrug.

"Sandy, want to come?" Ratchet called, spotting the tan miner coiling a length of cable.

"Where to?" He asked, untangling a kink and neatly setting the cables in Longhaul's' box.

"Chainjack."

"Ah. That fragger. Sure. I needed to hurry and find an excuse to punch the mech anyways." Sandstorm said with a shrug, dusting his servos off and following Ratchet out of the mine. The two mechs transformed, Ratchet talking the lead as they drove down another rarely used track higher up into the mountains. The terrain was rough and eventually Sandstorm had to take point, his much higher alt able to handle the terrain better then Ratchet. Eventually they pulled up to other mech-made plateau and a grey mech with tank treads on his back walked up as they transformed.

"Where's Chrome." He demanded hotly, his armor flaring in aggression.

"He's busy. I said I'd come." Ratchet said, easily standing his ground and holding the mech's glare.

"Ratchet's just as good as Chrome. And he doesn't throw nearly as many things." Sandstorm added, his own armor standing on edge and his EM filed flared in warning.

"Alright alright, this way." Chainjack grumbled, waving them toward mine.

"What happened?" Ratchet asked, noticing a few other miners hovering by the entrance and covered in a fine layer of dust. Collapse of some kind.

"We had a small tremor and some scaffolding collapsed." Chainjack said with a one sided shrug.

Behind him, Ratchet heard Sandstorm mutter something under his breath, his EM filed still bordering on hostile.

"**Why ins't he covered in dust then. Fragger wasn't even in the mine I'd bet." ** Sandstorm growled.

"**Not everyone is as good a gang leader as Dusty." **Ratchet replied with a shrug. Abruptly, Chainjack stopped just inside the mine.

"I have some reports I need to fill it. It's a straight shaft, you can't miss him." Chainjack said before turning and walked off.

"That was weird." Ratchet muttered, watching as the mech walked away.

"I'll say. I knew I hated that mech for a reason." Sandstorm said, his armor finally settling over his frame and his EM field losing it's hostile edge.

"You hate everyone." Ratchet said with a flat look. The tan miner shrugged.

"Mechs are afts and anyone that says differently is automatically an aft as well." He said simply.

Ratchet chuckled, shaking his helm as he started forward. A hollow sound rang out and he paused glancing down to see smooth floor panels in place.

"Huh, interesting." Sandstorm muttered.

"What are they for?" Ratchet asked. He'd never seen flooring like that.

"If the ground is too rough to drive on. But that doesn't make sense, we're not that far inside the mine." Sandy said before shrugging. "This is a mech-made tunnel. There's no reason why it should be too rough to drive on."

Just around a bend in the tunnel they found the injured miner resting against the wall, his optics dimmed in recharge and his servo pressed against a steadily leaking would in his leg.

"You still functional?" Ratchet asked, gently touching the mech's shoulder guard. The miner jerked but Ratchet was already well out of striking range. He'd nearly been stabbed when he surprised Scrapper by accident, he was hesitant to repeat the experience.

"Yeah, yeah I'm functioning." The mech said before relaxing back against the wall.

"Mind if I take a look?" Ratchet asked, gesturing toward the mech's leg.

"Yeah, messed it up good and proper." He said, moving his servo to expose two deep, jagged gashes across his lower leg.

"That ain't no break." Sandstorm said as Ratchet scowled.

"It's not, Chainjack said you snapped your leg. This looks like someone ripped a knife across your leg." Ratchet said, giving the mech a look he had learnt form Chrome. The miner winced, glancing away.

"Don't surprise me he said that." He muttered as Ratchet subspaced some tools to better examining the gashes.

They were deep, the top one cutting almost to the strut while the lower one came within an inch of a major energon line. The edges were jagged and torn like a break, but the strut was still intact.

"What happened?" Ratchet demanded, glaring at the miner.

"I fell. Must have tripped on that scaffolding and speared myself." He said with another shrug. Ratchet gave him one last dark look to let him know that it was a load of slag before refocusing on the gashes.

"I'm going to disable your pain receptors and give you some novrin, help take the edge off and makes it easier for me to fix if you're not twitching." Ratchet said, subspacing the drug. He quickly injected the drug into the miner's kneebolt where it would flow down and numb his leg. He disabled the receptors next before getting to work on the gashes.

ooOOoo

He was done in no time, ignoring Sandstorm and the miner, Piston, quietly talking.

"You done yet?" Chainjack asked, walking up and scaring the slag out of Sandstorm.

"How did you-!" He stammered in alarm, blades drawn.

"This mine's full of talginite." Chainjack said with a shrug. "Hard to keep track of signals in here."

"Uh huh." Sandstorm grunted lowly, subspacing the blades.

"I'm done. You'll need the rest of the orn to let those welds set properly. Better still if you took next orn off as well." Ratchet said to Piston as Chainjack walked over to him.

"Will do boss." Piston said, tipping his helm toward Ratchet as Chainjack hauled him to his peds. Favoring his leg, the two miners walked out.

"I can't believe Chainjack left one of his own down here if there's no way to makes sure they're still online." Sandstorm growled, flexing his clawed servos angrily once the two miners were out of audio range.

"Neither can I. And a break? That's load of slag. The strut was completely intact. If I didn't know better, I'd have said that Sterling attacked him. His blades leave the same kind of torn gash." Ratchet said as he stood. "Something weird is going on here and I don't like it."

"Neither do I." Sandstorm snarled, armor starting to flare. "The sooner we get out of here, the better."

"Couldn't agree more." Ratchet said, tossing the rest of his tools in subspace and following Sandstorm out of the cavern.

Sandstorm was hallway across those strange floor panels when he abruptly froze.

"What's wrong?" Ratchet demanded.

"Quiet!" Sandy hissed, shooting a servo out toward Ratchet. "You hear that?"

Ratchet froze his systems stalling as he became as quiet as he could be. Then he heard it.

"The floors popping." Ratchet said.

"Yeah, sounds like supports about to give way." Sandy said, glancing around nervously. "Be careful."

Sandstorm carefully made his way across and Ratchet released a vent when the miner was safe.

"You alright?" He called.

"Yeah, fine. You're turn." Sandy replied.

With another shaky vent, Ratchet carefully set a ped on the tiles. They creaked lowly and Ratchet hesitated. After a moment everything was silent again and Ratchet started forward. Halfway across there was a loud crack and he bolted forward.

"Ratchet!" Sandstorm yelled as he lurched toward the yellow mech.

The floor dropped away at that moment and Ratchet stumbled, just missing Sandstorm's grasping servo.

"No!" Ratchet yelled as the ground dropped away from under him. He collided with the wall hard, his helm smashing against the wall and everything went black.

xxXXxx

"Ratchet!" Sandstorm yelled as the yellow mech fell. He collided with the wall hard and his optics flickered before they went dark and he disappeared down the shaft.

With a roar of anger directed mostly at himself he turned and ran from the mine. A few of the other miners were sitting or standing against the cliff face but he ignored them.

"Chainjack!" He bellowed as he approached the grey mech.

"Where is your-"

Sandstorm snarled as he glared at Chainjack, energon dripping from his servo.

"The frag is wrong with you!" He spat, rubbing his jaw from where Sandstorm had landed a wicked right cross that had flattened the mech.

"The floor collapsed, where does that tunnel go!" He spat.

"What are you talking about!" Chainjack demanded, slowly getting back to his peds. Sandstorm snarled, launching himself at the mech and tackling him to the ground.

A short, but very sharp knife shot out of his wrist and he had it pressed against Chainjack's throat in an instant.

"Ratchet just fell down that thing, where does it go!" He repeated.

"We don't know!" Chainjack snarled, arching his neck to get away from the blade.

With a snarl Sandstorm shot to his peds, reaching for his comm.

"**Dusty we got a problem!" **

"**Now what's wrong?" **Dusty asked.

"**Ratchet fell down some kind of drop shaft! Dumb aft here doesn't know how deep it is." **He snarled, glaring at the mech as he cautiously got back to his peds, energon trickling from his jaw.

"**What?!" **

"**Get the gang over here, something is seriously wrong around here." **He snarled, his optics locked on the other miners. They avoided his burning gaze, Piston in particular obviously shying away.

"**Copy that."**

xxXXxx

Dusty wasn't sure what to expect when he heard Sandstorm's comm to get the whole gang up to the mine.

But Chrome viciously launching himself at Chainjack? That he did expect.

"What the fragging Pit did Sandstorm mean that the floor gave way?!" Chrome roared into Chainjack's faceplates as he held him optic to optic, servos clenched around his collar struts.

"I don't know what happened! That flooring was solid!" Chainjack spat, his servos around Chrome's bracers as he tried to free himself. "I just walked across that flooring myself!"

"Solid?! They how'd it collapse! Ratchet is half the size most of your miners!"

"I said I don't know what happened!"

"Don't know?! You're the gang leader!"

"Chrome enough!" Dusty interrupted.

"Enough?!" Chrome yelled, turning to the red mech.

"He has the maps so you can't off' him." He growled.

"Let me the frag go!" Chainjack yelled once again trying to break Chrome's painful grip.

"**Chrome!" **

Burning green optics turned toward Dusty with a challenging glare.

"**Let him go." ** Dusty repeated.

With a snarl Chrome finally shoved the other mech away from him.

"I can have you arrested for assault!" Chainjack spat, rubbing the warped metal around his throat cables.

"Try it." Dusty hissed. The mech backed up as the rest of Dusty's gang drove up. "Why didn't you check for driller tunnels?" he demanded.

"We checked. Nothing showed up on the scanners."

"Who's ya supplia'?" Sterling asked as he walked up.

"Copper. He manages our funds." Chainjack replied, glancing nervously at the bigger mech.

"Course." Sterling said, rolling his optics and crossing his arms.

"We're taking over." Dusty said before turning back to Sterling.

"What?! Hold on! You can't do that!" Chainjack objected. Carbon took that moment to walk up.

"If Dusty's taking over, he's taking over." Carbon hissed, standing beside Dusty and showing Chainjack that he was easily twice his mass.

"That's our medic down there and we will move the whole cliff face if that's what it takes to get him out. Or his terminated frame if that's all that left." Dusty snarled before he locked optics with Sandstorm, jerking his helm toward the mine and nudged Sterling. The three of them turned toward the mine entrance.

"This is no mech-made tunnel." Sterling said, his armor flaring as he froze in the entrance way.

"What are you talking about?" Sandy asked.

"They filled in tah ground, this whole tunnel was made by ah driller." Sterling said quietly. "Ah really really big driller."

"Fraggit, the whole shaft could be unstable then." Dusty growled before carefully approaching the gaping, bottomless hole. "Pit, I hope he didn't hit the bottom."

"Look at that." Sterling said, pointing a way's down the shaft. Half sunk in the shaft wall, three half rusted beams poked out of the wall. Across the hole, three more half rusted beams stuck out. The three on the far side were twisted, part of the flooring panels still hanging on by a few welds and rivets.

"The supports rusted away." Dusty muttered out loud. "What kind of metal did they use that the beams rusted away."

"Slag. Utter slag." Sandy snarled, red optics burning with anger and self blame.

"Want ah better look?" Sterling asked.

"Yeah. Give me a line." Dusty replied offhandedly.

Sterling reached into subspace, handing Dusty the heavy duty clip. He clipped it into the newly repaired clip on his chassis, just below his spark. He gripped the cable tightly even as Sterling stood, balancing himself as he fed the cable into the custom build rappel rig in his bracer. Spreading his peds a little, Sterling steadied himself before firing off the two spikes in his legs. They stabbed their full length into the ground and he shifted to make sure they were set.

"Ah'm good." Sterling said, glancing at Dusty. Dusty nodded and gripped the cable before carefully stepping over the edge of the hole, leaning back on the cable and trusting Sterling with his life.

"Give me some cable." Dusty said, repelling down the shaft till he was level with the supports. "There we go, hold it." The cable locked in place and he hung from the side of the shaft.

"Well?" Sandstorm called down.

"We were right, the supports have rusted away." He turned to the other side of the shaft, the powerful headlights on his shoulder guards lighting up the shaft. "Looks like there were starting to rust on the other side as well. But even from here I can tell that sheet metal is far too thin to use as a flooring panel. It was going to break sooner or later."

"And it had to break when Ratchet was walking across." Sandy snarled bitterly.

"It wasn't ya fault mech." Sterling said just loud enough for Dusty to hear.

"Pit." Dusty swore when he happened to look down the shaft.

"What!" Sterling demanded.

"Give me more cable." Dusty ordered instead. Sterling slowly let more cable slid free and Dusty climbed down deeper into the shaft.

"**What!"** Sterling demanded again, switching to comms as Sandstorm tapped in.

"**Paint. It's Ratchet's. The shaft starts to slope here. My guess is Ratchet rode the side down, hence all the paint scratches." **He paused. **"The shaft takes a sharp turn to the left. And there's fresh energon. He probably smashed his helm on the side of the tunnel."**

"**He did." **Sandy bit out.

"**Can ya get down it?"** Sterling asked.

"**I might not have a choice. We have to get to him."** Dusty replied as he started down again. **"How much cable you got on you?"**

"**Uh… too much. Two, three miles, somethin' like tha'." **

"**Primus mech, you need a life." **Sandy muttered.

"**Focus." **Dusty said as he hammered a spike into the shaft wall.** "I've got another mile and a half. Anymore and the Ratchet's as good as terminated. I'm not sure how long the comms will hold up."**

"**Ah guess weh'll find out."** Sterling said with a chuckle. Dusty clipped the cable into the clip on the spike and giving two quick tugs on the line, Sterling kept lowering him. A single hard jerk had him stopped, hovering a few inches above the shaft's sharp turn. More paint and energon were visible in Dusty's lights and he set another spike. Again he kept going, setting spikes to keep the cable from getting caught on the jagged metal.

"Who's the idiot that sunk a shaft here anyways?" He muttered to himself as he kept climbing, setting anchor spikes every few feet.

"Frag it, this is deep. I hope Ratchet survived the trip." He hissed as he set another rig. The metal was much looser here though and it took three pulley spikes to anchor himself. The tunnel was also getting smaller as parts of it had collapsed. Much tighter and Dusty's bulkier armor wouldn't be able to keep going.

"**Dusty-? Can ya…meh?"** Sterling's static filled voice screeched though his comms. He hissed, he never notice it was that loud.

"**Barely. I had to set another rig, this shaft is one of the deepest I've ever had to repel down." **He said.

"**Set…rig. Deep…-ggin' hole. Gottcha." **Sterling repeated before the comm hissed shut.

"And the comm is dead." Dusty growled as his shoulder guard scrapped against an outcrop of metal. He wedged his way past it and kept climbing down, setting anchor spikes as he went. So far nothing had been steep enough that it would have terminated Ratchet, it was still at a slope but he didn't know how far down he would have to go.

He was still climbing down almost a full joor later. The shaft was still slightly slanted and every now and then he saw yellow paint and cyan energon. He took another step down and his ped hit empty air. With a sharp gasp of surprise, he latched onto the metal in front of him, glancing down to see the driller shaft.

"Well, found the driller shaft." Dusty muttered as he looked down the circular tunnel that had merged into the drop shaft he was hanging off of. He set another anchor spike before lowering himself into the unknown. Every string of coding that had formed from his lifetime in the mines screamed at him to turn back. His sire had nearly been terminated by one of the few drillers still alive. He would never forget the sound of the ground breaking up as the huge thing tore through the mine or the sight of his creator and two other mechs soaked in energon and three others nothing but smears on the ground. Everything had just gotten a hundred times worse the klick he felt nothing beneath his peds. His panic instantly spiked and he forced himself to remember to vent as he felt his frame over heat. Any nano-klick he was expecting to hear the grinding of metal gears on the tunnel walls as a driller came back. He glanced down again and saw the ground. He touched down and loosed the cable, unclipping it from his chassis and letting the clip hang loose. There was a problem. He scrambled up a chunk of metal looking around. There was a serious problem.

"This isn't the bottom." He said out loud, his voice echoing. "Frag, this isn't the bottom." The walls had collapsed, filling the tunnel in after Ratchet. His scanners activated and he didn't like the results.

"Talginite. Great. Only the hardest metal on Cybertron. Well we aren't going that way." Dusty snapped, kicking the nearly indestructible metal in anger. "Frag." In one last ditch attempt to reach Ratchet he sent his scanners to their max. And froze. A single, very faint spark signature.

"**Ratchet!"** He yelled, redirecting the power to his comm to try and reach the apprentice.

"…"

"**Ratchet! Fraggit answer me!"** Dusty yelled again but the interference from the mine was too much and he couldn't reach Ratchet. He turned and bolted back to the cable, clipping it to his chassis and pulling himself back up to the drop shaft. He pulled the spikes free and subspaced them as he climbed back up the shaft.

"**Sterling!"** He yelled as soon as he was back in comm range.

"**What's teh word?"** Sterling asked.

"**Get me the frag out of this hole! I picked up a spark signature almost three miles down! Pit I don't know how he's still online!"** He snapped, clipping in and giving the cable two jerks. Sterling instantly started pulling the cable in as Dusty scrambled up the mine, leaving paint on the shaft walls.

"Well?" Sandy asked as he pulled Dusty to his peds and took the clip from him, handing it to Sterling.

"It's a weak signal but it's there. The problem is that the tunnel gets far too narrow for anyone but me to go down and it's collapsed. It's full of talginite. Having to go down there will be a mess." Dusty said as he stormed out of the mine.

"Now what?" Sterling asked.

"We get some information." Dusty growled, his armor flaring in aggression.

xxXXxx

"Which one is 'ee?" Sterling growled, glancing down at Sandstorm.

"That one there, that's the mech Ratchet patched up. Piston." Sandy said, gesturing toward a medium grey mech trying to disappear into the mine wall. "That was no broken leg."

"What was it?" Dusty asked.

"Ratchet said that it looked like someone took a knife to him."

"Why the frag would they say it's a broken leg then?" Dusty asked.

"Ya know, Ah think ah'm gonna go talk tah him." Sterling said, glancing down at Sandstorm with a grin. The mech returned it before nodding.

"Ya, I want to ask him a few questions too." Sandy agreed flexing his servos.

"And I want to talk to Chainjack about that shaft." Dusty growled, gaze sliding over to lock on the grey mech. Dusty's dark red optics darted over to Carbon and the mech dipped his helm once.

"Don't break him." He said up to Sterling before stalking off, Carbon falling in step beside him.

"Now why would you do that?" Sandstorm asked before turning and stalking toward Piston.

"Yeah, why would Ah break anyone?" Sterling echoed, following Sandstorm and letting his armor flare with glee.

ooOOoo

"I dont know anything!" Piston growled, Sterling's servo digging into his shoulder guard and keeping him pinned against the wall.

"Oh really? Then what really happened to your leg?" Sandstorm asked, claws flexing to take a strip off the mech. Or a while chunk of armor.

"I said I fell." Piston snarled.

"Some 'ow Ah don't believe ya." Sterling replied, tightening his grip and making the mech hiss in pain as his armor buckled. "Unless ya want tah loose ya arm, Ah suggest ya start talkin'."

"I don't know anything."

"Ya lying!"

With a low snarl Sterling drove his blade deep into the miner's shoulder, pinning him to the wall. He howled with pain and Sterling cuffed him over the helm.

"Ah wont ask ya 'gain." Sterling hissed.

"I can't say." Piston bit out, trying to reach his shoulder guard with his free servo.

Sandstorm was quick to knock his servo away with a snarl.

"What are you talking about?" Sandstorm demanded.

"An' unless ya wan' tah loose mo' then ya arm, Ah suggest ya use details." Sterling added with a feral grin.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Piston mumbled.

"Try meh." Sterling snarled. Piston glanced nervously between the two furious miners.

"It- it was a driller."

Sandstorm stared at the mech for a nano-klick before bursting out laughing.

"No! I swear it was! It was a little one!" Piston objected.

"Ow big." Sterling demanded, his faceplates betraying nothing.

"Bout twenty feet long. Little thing. It nearly took my leg off." Piston continued.

"Where'd it go."

"Back up the tunnel." Piston said. "Look, that drop shaft… We knew there was a driller shaft there. We told Chainjack and he told us to keep digging. We lost three mechs when the ground collapse under them! And listen, this isn't the first time we've seen that thing around here. When we shut down for the night, we'll come back in the morning and find it feeding on crystals. It takes off right a ways and we can't catch the fraggin thing." Piston continued. "It's never attacked anyone though, I guess I was the lucky one."

Sterling jerked his knife free, earning another gasp of pain from the mech before he turned and stormed off.

"Sterling, you don't actually believe him, about a driller?" Sandstorm asked, keeping pace beside the mech. "That's ridiculous."

"Yeah." Sterling replied darkly. "Yeah Ah do believe 'im. Dusty!"

"Chainjack knew it was a driller shaft and still made 'em dig." Dusty snarled, storming up. "That glitch! He could have gotten his entire gang off'ed!"

"Weh got another problem. There's ah driller."

"What?!" Dusty demanded.

"There's ah live driller. 'Ee said it was ah little one, only 'bout twenty feet long." Sterling repeated. "If it's tha' big, it's big enough tah go aft'a mechs. It just sampled Piston, if that thing finds Ratch before weh do... Weh both know wha' it will do tah 'im."

"Fraggit." Dusty snarled, armor flaring in fear. "That's going to complicate things."

* * *

**Complicat? that? Now why would that complicate anything. It's just an over-sized metal worm. A living-metal eating giant worm but a worm all the same. **

**Ha! I love complicating things. **

**Things looking familiar guys?  
**

**Read and review, i love you guys!**


	21. Hopeless

**All right, lets get this show on the road! I know the chapters a little shirted then usual, but for crying out loud Sterling stole the plot line and wouldn't give it back!  
**

**Neon: All great ideas and yes, I've planned for some of them. Not saying witch ones though.**

**Guest:Yeah he does of course, but i just like to drag it out. **

**Answerthecall:Cue the intense nail-biting drama. :D**

**Skyice98: Possibly. Maybe. Yeah, he'll be fine. After I've had my fun of course. **

**Child of Jon snow: Yep. Good memory. **

**InterstellerGazer: I'm the same way, i love pushing characters to their breaking points. That's half the fun of writing. **

**Sunstreaker's Squishy: Ooh, i'll have to check that out. Scare the behjeebers out of me. **

**The Tip of My Tongue: Yeah, it's pretty cool that I'm finally starting to get back on track and that things are starting to get familiar. And yeah, Axil's sticking around, he's grown on me. I've got plans for him. **

**Jazzilynn Hall: I love complications as long as its not in my life. I like things nice and simple. But writing? Heck yes the more complicated the better. And throw in a driller for the heck of it and royally screw everyone up. **

**Let the drama continue!**

* * *

xxXXxx

Sterling's home.

xxXXxx

Sterling stood in the shadows just inside the shed, the long, mesh wrapped object leaning against the wall opposite him.

"_Ya 'ave tah let meh go aft'a it!" Sterling stressed. "Ya 'ave tah let meh-"_

"_Absolutely not, it's out of the question!" Dusty snapped. _

"_Dusty, Ratchet will terminated!" Sterling spat. "Tha' thing will rip 'im apart!"_

"_I know that all too well Sterling!"_

"_Then let meh go aft'a it!" _

Nervously, he took a step forward, reaching out for the object.

"What in pit do ya think ya doin'."

Sterling turned to face his mate silhouetted in the light, red optics bright with concern.

"There's one out there." He said quietly, not moving.

"Wha' ya talkin' bout?" She asked, taking a step forward. "Ah though' they were gone."

"There's ah little one. Ratchet fell an' Ah'd bet mah paycheck tha' it's gone aft'a 'im." Sterling replied.

_Dusty dropped his gaze with a snarl. _

"_Ya know wha' those things can do." Sterling said quietly._

"_I know Sterling." Dusty hissed. _

"_Then let meh do mah job!" Sterling all but begged. "This is wha' Ah was built fo'!"_

"_How are you going to get down there. It's caved in with talginite." Dusty asked. _

"_Ah know an old driller tunnel, couple miles away." Sterling replied. "It's long abandoned bu' ah can get ah good 2 miles below tah surface. _

"Sterlin' ya can't." Carmine said quietly. "Sterlin' Ah'm beggin' ya!"

"Ah have tah."

"No ya don't!"

Sterling didn't say anything, instead flooding his mate with all the love he could over the bond.

"Ah 'ave tah."

Carmine continued to glare at him before her gaze softened, her frame slumping in defeat.

"Beh careful." She said finally.

"Ah always ahm." Sterling replied with a smile.

"_How will you get back here."_

"_Ah'll track it. Ya know energon travels far in tah air." Sterling replied only for Dusty to growl again. "Ah'll either find tha' thing o' Ah'll find Ratchet." _

"_You're going to get yourself terminated." Dusty growled._

"_Ah'm 'ard tah terminate." Sterling replied. _

Carmine left and he finally reached for the mesh wrapped object. The thing was old, he hadn't used it since he was in Straxis. With a sharp vent he tore the mesh off, revealing the thirty five foot long weapon. It was an odd cross between a spear and a sword, the first twenty feet of the weapon a saw like blade with the same serrated double edge as his own smaller blades. It was attacked to a ten foot solid shaft before ending in another five foot double edged serrated blade. The weapon was worn with use and age, the once shiny edges dulled by the acidic fluids of the drillers. It was still as sharp as ever though, the weapon forged from the remains of a driller. Seven notches were carved into the shaft and Sterling's grip around the weapon tightened. One for every one he had terminated.

"_You glitch." Dusty hissed again. "You fraggin glitch. How long will it take you?"_

"_Maybeh two orns. Three at most." Sterling replied. _

"_What the frag are you talking about." Sandstorm demanded, catching Sterling and Dusty's attention. _

"_Sterling's about to do something really really stupid." Dusty snarled, glaring at the silver mech again. _

"_It's only stupid if it don' work." Sterling replied with a shrug. _

"_Get out of my sight then." Dusty snapped. Sterling nodded before he turned and transformed, taking off down the road. _

He hefted the weapon, its heavy weight an old friend as his codding once again roared to life, surging though his wires and making his systems burn with power. A feral smirk pulled at his lip plating as he let the coding take over completely. Walking out of the shed he saw Carmine standing on the porch of the rundown one level shack they called a home, optics filled with worry.

**|Be careful.|**

He dipped his helm to her before he transformed, the weight of the bladed staff heavy from where it was magnetised to his undercarriage as his engine roared with power.

It was time to hunt.

xxXXxx

Chainjack's mine.

xxXXxx

"Here's the deal," Dusty said, waving everyone over. "Ratchet's still functional. I don't know how and I don't feel like asking anyone, all I know is that that drop shaft is the only way down there."

"But that things likely to collapse if we start trying to dig it out." Sandy objected.

"I know." Dusty said quietly. "But unless we feel like running around underground for two cycles in old driller tunnels, it's the only way."

"Where's Sterling?" Longhaul asked. "He was one of the first up here I thought."

Dusty just managed to keep from wincing at the question.

"He's… trying out a hunch. He won't be here. Not for a while anyway." Dusty replied only to receive a burning glare from Chrome. He managed to keep from squirming under the medic's scrutinising gaze but it took all the willpower he possessed. "Carbon, you're in charge till he gets back."

Carbon nodded, the black miner crossing his arms over his chassis.

"**What the frag is going on."** Chrome snarled. **"Dusty, what the frag did he do."**

"**He didn't do anything." **Dusty replied. **"At least… not yet…"**

"**Dusty!"**

"Our only option is to open up that tunnel more." Dusty said, purposely ignoring Chrome. "Brace it up and carve it out so that we can get the gang down there. The bottoms full of talginite and it's gonna take all of us to drill though that slag. Chances are, its acting as a plug and the only thing that's keeping Ratchet from being crushed. This is gonna be one pit of a delicate mission-"

"We have to move fast, there's no way he isn't damaged." Chrome added, his optics a few shades lighter than usual in barely controlled rage. Sandstorm was little better off, the two mechs all but vibrating with anger and self-blame. Pit, he was barely doing better than the two twitchy mechs.

"Exactly." Dusty said with a low growl, his own tanks clenching painfully. He'd seen the type of injuries a mech could sustain from a fall, let alone a fall like that. It would not be pretty. "Chrome, I want you and Sandy back at the medbay, I know Axil's weak but I _need_ his help down there."

"Yeah about that…" Chrome trailed off hesitantly, his armor flaring and Dusty felt a spike of alarm.

"Chrome, what didn't you tell me." Dusty demanded, taking a step toward the medic. "I thought you said the Guard had beat him up."

"They did. But that wasn't all…"

Dusty rebooted his audios. There was no way Chrome had just said-

"They did _what?!_" Sandstorm yelled, taking a shocked step back from Chrome.

"He's blind Dusty." Chrome repeated. "There's nothing I can do about it."

"Those fraggers!" Scrapper spat, servos clenched in anger even as Impactor cursed violently.

"Spawn of a glitch." Dusty swore, grinding his denta till he tasted sparks. If Axil was blind, he was as good as terminated. A couple metacycles ago he's have the energon lines in his legs slashed, dropped down a shaft and left for bait metal. Now… now he would just be taken out and shot.

"Is there anyway-"

"No." Chrome interrupted, his voice hard and ensuring there was no room for discussion.

"He's still in stasis right?" Dust asked.

"Yes." Chrome replied.

"Go stay with him. Make sure Copper doesn't get him. Sandy go with him." Dusty ordered.

"What?! Not a fraggin chance!" Sandstorm yelled taking a step toward the red mech.

"Would you prefer Copper grabbed him while you're arguing with me?" Dusty snapped.

Sandstorm and Chrome both flinched.

"Look, that shaft is too narrow for everyone to be working on it." Dusty explained, trying to calm himself down as much as the other two mechs. "Go watch out for Axil. He's your problem right now. Ratchet is mine."

Sandstorm and Chrome shared a look before visibly deflating, both mech's armor clamping tight against their frames.

"Wait, what happens if Copper does show up?" Sandstorm asked.

"He's not taking Axil." Dusty growled, his EM filed flaring in anger.

A feral smirk pulled at Sandstorm's lip plates as his engine snarled.

"He won't." Sandstorm assured him, armor flaring in aggression.

"Good." Dusty replied before turning back to the others. And focused on Jigsaw. The miner twitched nervously under Dusty's gaze as he started to smirk. He was a bit bulker then Axil but they were both thin, lanky mechs.

"What." Jigsaw demanded nervously.

"You ever used a repel rig?" He asked.

xxXXxx

3 miles away.

xxXXxx

Sterling idled at the entrance of an ancient, blocked off mine shaft. His sensors were stretched to their utter max and the flood of data was incredible. Transforming, he easily shouldered the bladed staff, the jagged edges easily sliding into grooves carved into his shoulder guard from carrying the thing around. Glancing around, he squeezed though the rough metal sheets meant to keep trespassers out and took a long vent of the stale air.

The tunnel was a straight shot but to him, he knew that it dropped down a few inches every hundred feet. Old energon from the mechs slaughtered here still glowed faintly on his scanners but he hardly spared them a glance. He was after bigger prey.

Once again he flared his sensor in a short, sharp burst. The feedback flooded his sensors and his lip plates curled back in a feral grin.

Gouges on the walls and floor glowed with driller residue, the same residue mixing with the energon of the former miners. It created a bizarre signal that only he could follow and he committed it to memory. His armor rippled, sensors locked on the signal and he easily broke into an fast lope, his long legs eating up the ground. His systems ran completely silent as he ran though the dark, tracking the creature that would hopefully lead him back to Ratchet.

xxXXxx

The Prime's Estates

xxXXxx

"They _what?!_" Sentinel Prime roared.

Avalon continued pacing, his armor flared at he cast a glance back at the seething Prime.

"Copper just informed me what Chrome did." Avalon continued, watching the Prime. "I told you as soon as I knew about it."

"That- that _glitch_!" Sentinel snarled, gripping the edges of his desk so tightly he warped the metal. "That glitch thinks he can get away with anything! You would have thought that nearly terminating that mech of his would have smartened them up!"

Avalon paused to turn to face Sentinel.

"Please tell me that it was that silver mech that fell at least." Sentinel growled. "Sterling or something?"

"Sadly no. It was Ratchet." Avalon replied.

"Ratchet?" Sentinel asked in amusement. "And how are you handling that?"

"Why would it bother me? He is no creation of mine." Avalon snapped. "He could terminate down there and I wouldn't care. He is just another one of _them_."

Sentinel chuckled darkly, shaking his helm.

"You really are ruthless at the rumors say."

"You can't believe everything you hear." Avalon countered with a smirk.

xxXXxx

Alpha Trion glanced up sharply when he heard a commotion outside his office door and a few moments later Orion Pax burst thought he doors, his vents heaving and an Elite Guard stumbling into the room after him.

"What is going on!" He demanded, shooting to his peds in alarm and annoyance.

"Trion, you have to help Ratchet!" Orion sputtered as he ran up to the tri colored mech, stopping just short of running into the mech's legs.

"Sir I'm sorry to disturb you but he got past me-" The Guard stammered.

"It's alright. You may leave." Trion said, cutting him off. The mech straightened, snapping off a quick salute before turning and marching back to his post outside the office.

"Now what on Cybertron are you talking about?" Trion asked, turning back to Orion. "And speak slowly." He added before the youngling could say anything.

"Ratchet's hurt." Orion said after taking a few deep vents. "I heard Sire and Avalon talking-"

"You were eavesdropping again." Trion interrupted.

"Ratchet fell and he might be hurt and Sire and Avalon won't do anything about it you have to do something!" Orion blurted.

"And what makes you think I can do anything about it?" Trion asked. "If he's fallen down some kind of shaft, there's nothing anyone can do about it, least of all me."

"But you have to help him!" Orion insisted.

"And just what do you suggest? You know how the caste system works." Trion said with a frown. "As much as I want to help, there's nothing I can do."

"But you have to!" Orion insisted. "What- what- what- Sterling! What bout Sterling!" Orion sputtered.

"What are you talking about?" Trion asked in confusions.

"It was Ratchet and Sterling that saved me when those miners tried to kidnap me! Sire owes him! And Ratchet said that they don't care about the credits!" Orion said, on a roll. "What if Sire payed Sterling back that way?"

Trion studied Orion for a moment before a smirk started to form on his faceplates.

"You just might be onto something." Trion said, brushing against Orion's shoulder guard as he walked out of the office. Orion continued to trail him until they were almost as Sentinel's office.

"Stay here." He ordered, turning to Orion. "The last thing you need is Sentinel finding out you were eavesdropping again."

Orion grinned sheepishly before taking off down the hall.

Steadying himself, Trion flared his ID signature before walking into the office.

"Alpha Trion, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Sentinel Prime asked, shooting to his peds.

"May I have a word with you?" Trion asked before shooting a pointed look at Avalon. "Alone?"

Sentinel nodded and with a scowl, Avalon left the room.

"What seems to be the problem sir?" Sentinel asked once the door had slid shut and locked, rendering the room soundproof.

"I heard you were having some miner trouble."

Sentinel shot the Council member a dark look before sinking back into his chair.

"Chrome again. I swear that mech is more trouble then he's worth." He growled.

"And, correct me if I'm wrong." Trion continued. "But a miner saved Orion's life, didn't they?"

Sentinel stiffened, red armor flaring marginally in anger.

"What about it." Sentinel demanded. "I offered to pay the mech and he refused. What's more, I didn't have him shot like I should have."

"But you do still own him." Trion pressed.

Sentinel shot him another dark took, crossing his arms over his chassis as he turned away from the tri-colored mech.

"Yes." He growled. "But I already told you, he wouldn't accept credits and quite frankly, I _shoul_dhave just shot him. He's almost as much trouble as Chrome."

"What if you repaid that debt in a different way?"

"And I'm assuming you have a way?"

"Rescue Ratchet in exchange for rescuing Orion." Alpha Trion said. "Besides," he added with a smirk, "you might get Chrome out of your plating for a while."

Sentinel glanced back at Trion with a frown.

"Go on."

"There's an Omega station in norther Iacon for repairs. When he heads back to the Rust Sea he'll be flying directly over the mine."

Sentinel shot to his peds.

"Those Omegas make Cybertron millions of credits an orn and you want me to waste those credits to pay some kind of debt to a miner that I could just order shot?!" Sentinel demanded angrily. "Will all due respect of your position, but are you out of your processor?!"

"How much is you creation worth Sentinel?" Trion cut in politely. "Is he not worth the credits to repay a simple debt that saved your creation's life?"

Sentinel didn't respond.

xxXXxx

Chainjack's mine.

xxXXxx

Loose rubble clattered down the shaft and Dusty tensed, expecting the worse but only hearing Jigsaw curse violently.

"Careful Jigsaw." Dusty cautioned, glancing down at the mech clinging to the wall below him.

"Sure. Careful my aft." The mech snapped and had it been in any other condition, Dusty would have laughed at the amount of stress all but radiating off the mech. "Why the frag did _I _have to come down here?!"

"Because you are the only other mech that would be able to comfortably fit down here. I needed another set of servos." Dusty replied, carefully climbing up a few feet. "Don't drop anything."

Jigsaw glanced up at Dusty with a scowl and shifted his position before tossing a chunk of metal into a large scrap pail below them. So far they had been working not stop for the last 12 joors and had managed to widen out and brace only a third of the drop shaft. They were exhausted and low on fuel, not to mention the stress level was through the roof.

"**Dusty, it's Carbon." **

The red mech jolted, nearly slipping from where he was welding a support beam in place.

"Careful Dusty." Jigsaw shot up at the mech and Dusty scowled, glaring at the grey mech.

"**Yeah, what?"** He asked, just managing to keep the irritation out of his voice.

"**You two need to come up. You haven't refueled all orn."** Carbon said.

"**We're good. We got rations."** Dusty replied.

"**Dusty, I'm serious, you need to get up here and take a break."**

"**Listen Carbon!" **Dusty snarled, **"If we don't get down there-"**

"**You think I don't know what that thing could do?" **Carbon growled, his tone just above a snarl. **"You're not the only one to see what those things can do Dusty. But I also know what will happen to **_**you**_** if don't take care of yourself. Get your aft up here before I drag you out myself."**

"**Yes **_**boss."**_Dusty snarled before starting back up the repel line.

"What's going on?" Jigsaw asked in confusion, glancing up.

"Carbon's being an aft." He growled.

"Energon break?"

Dusty's response was a low growl as he kept climbing. "Miserable fragger."

"Me or Carbon…?" Jigsaw asked nervously.

"Carbon." Dusty snapped, crawling out of the hole only to come faceplate to faceplate with a black ped.

"Glad to know how you feel about me." Carbon replied with a smirk as he grabbed Dusty by the back of the collar strut.

"Hey!" He yelled, struggling against Carbon's iron grip. "What the frag mech!"

"Shut up. You're not going back down there for at least a joor." Carbon ordered, unclipping the cable from Dusty's chassis and jabbing a digit against the clip. Dusty gasped in pain, trying to jerk away from the sharp digit.

"That hurt!" He barked. "Chrome just fixed that!"

"And you're going to rip that clip loose again and then Chrome will strip your plating off with a rusty knife." Carbon continued, turning and stalking out of the mine. "Trust me, I'm saving your plating right now."

"You can put me down now." Dusty snarled, glaring at Carbon. The mech finally dropped him in a heap and Dusty spat a curse as he hit the ground on his back. "Spawn of a-"

"Drink." Carbon barked, sticking a cube of energon into the mech's faceplates. Dusty snarled again before snatching the cube and taking a long swallow.

"Oh thank Primus." Jigsaw muttered as Carbon handed him a similar cube. Dusty scowled before he tossed the rest of his cube back and stood up.

"Don't you dare." Carbon growled.

"Where are the others." Dusty demanded.

"I sent them home."

"You _what?!_"

"Impactor, Ironlock, Longhaul, and Scrapper are all too big to help you. Not to mention we have our own mine to worry about and you've been going non-stop for 12 joors! You're going to burn yourself out and then what." Carbon demanded.

"We still got two miles of tunnel to clear out, _and _the talginite down there!" Dusty spat. "We don't have _time_ to stop! Ratchet could have terminated already!"

"And you're no use to us if you terminate yourself!" Carbon countered, looming over the smaller mech. "You and Jigsaw are the only ones able to fit down there. If you collapse, we'll never get Ratchet out."

"Gee, thanks for the pressure." Jigsaw muttered, staring down at his energon cube.

"You know that." Carbon continued. "And what about Azure and Pixel? They'll be worried sick about you if you don't come home tonight."

Dusty winced at the mention of his mate and youngling.

"We can't stop though." He repeated in a murmur, knowing that protesting was pointless. This would not be the first time Carbon physical threw him out of a shaft. "We can't stop."

"And if you lose your grip and fall? Smash your helm against the side and knock yourself stupid? You think Jigsaw's good enough to drag your dead-weight frame out of there?"

"Oh, come on! Give me some credit!" Jigsaw objected hotly.

"Could you?" Carbon asked, turning to the grey mech. "If something happened, could you get yourself and Dusty out?"

The grey miner opened his mouth to reply before pausing and slowly shaking his helm, his armor tight against his frame in shame.

"No…No I couldn't." He said quietly.

"It's not safe Dusty." Carbon stressed. "You know that. Look, take a break, we'll be back up here tomorrow morning bright and early."

"You're not leaving are you?" Dusty asked, giving Carbon a dark look.

"No I'm not. Someone has to keep everyone else away. And someone has to keep _you _out as well." Carbon growled, crossing his arms over his chassis. Dusty growled low in his chassis but finally backed down, taking a step back and glancing away.

"Alright." He finally said before glancing at Jigsaw. "You heard the boss. We're calling it quits for the night."

The grey mech nodded before tossing the rest of his energon back and transforming, driving around them and down the road.

"You had better hope he's still function by morning." Dusty hissed before turning his back on Carbon and storming off.

"Yeah, so do I." Carbon murmured before with a sigh, turned back toward the mine and transformed, parking just inside the entrance where the shadows hid his bulk. It was going to be a long night for everyone.

xxXXxx

3 miles underground

xxXXxx

Slowly Ratchet started to reboot, systems far too sluggish for his liking. Warnings flooded his vision and he whimpered in pain as fire flooded his systems. He was laying on his chassis, his arm crushed uncomfortably below him and his legs…

He couldn't feel his legs

His optics onlined in a rush only to see black. It was pitch black.

He fell. That's right, he fell down the shaft. The flooring collapsed and he fell.

He started to shift and instantly regretted it, crying out in pain as fire shot up his frame. His voice echoed eerily and another whimper escaped him as more warnings flooded his vision.

He started to sort through the warnings, ignoring most of them like fractured and cracked plating, severed fluid lines and the like. But one caught his immediate attention and he felt himself start to panic.

His spinal support had been severed in his lower back. He was paralysed from the waist down.

Fire shot up his frame as he got his arm out from under him, whimpering as he felt the broken joint shift, He paused, fearing he would black out from the white hot pain and once the fire subsided to a roaring throb, he re-booted his optics. His scanners were useless as all he could do was pick up static.

Talginite he reminded himself. Chainjack said that the mine was full of talginite.

But another part of his processor added that he was no longer _in _the mine but _below_ it. The though sent another shudder of fear though his pain wracked frame.

"They'll come." He whispered to himself, hating how his voice echoed. "They'll come. Sandy will have told them that I fell and Dusty and the others will come."

Something shifted to his right and his spark sank. No, Sandy didn't fall with him did he?

"Sandy?" Ratchet asked, raising his voice a little more despite it started to echo again. There was more sounds of movement, closer to his legs. "Sandy! Are you alright? I broke my spinal support, I can't move my legs." He repeated. Again he got no answer and fearing the worst, forced himself to roll halfway onto his side, despite the damage he knew he would cause. He was more worried that the other mech was in worse shape than he was. Once again he had to stop as fire raced through his systems leaving him panting for air. After a moment he turned his headlights on, wincing at the bright light. It only lasted a moment as the one never turned on while the other died as soon as it powered on.

He caught a glimpse though of a long silver form draped over his legs and a gaping mouth full of razor sharp gear like denta.

He screamed.

xxXXxx

Unknown

xxXXxx

Sterling froze, his frame going completely silent as he listened. The trail had been getting stronger over the last few joors and he knew he was getting close. His entire focus was on the trail and finding that thing before it found Ratchet.

But then he heard that scream.

That same, terrified scream that haunted his recharge as he saw his sire, saw his friends, torn apart by those things.

Without even realising it, he broke into a dead run over the loos ground, aware enough to at least make sure he didn't put his ped in a hole and snap his ankle joint. He was on his own and would not be getting help.

That thing was with Ratchet. It was the only reason for the scream. And if it was-

With a low snarl Sterling forced the energon soaked images to the back of his processor. He didn't need the distractions. He didn't need that right now. All that matter was getting to Ratchet before he lost another brother to the mines.

* * *

**So, lots of bouncing around but hopefully you were able to keep track.  
**

**Read and review guys, I love you!**


	22. Omega

**Ha! Made it! Still Sunday! At least in Canada. Wow am i good, i dragged this out longer then last time. :) Ha, I'm evil. **

**Reviews!**

**BookLovingPersonR.B.L: Yeah, lots of feels and messy-ness. Hee hee... love your review :)**

**Neon: Eh, we'll see what happens. Lots of great fabulous plans.**

**KayleeChiara: I'm SOO glad you like it so much. It seriously does wonders for my self-confidence. *cough* ego *cough***

**Guest: Eh, he's still alive...**

**HeartsGuardianSol: Yeah, there's a big monster. how's that to keep 'im company till Sterling finds him. **

**DawnfireJazz: Yeah, I'm experimenting on different characters this time around. And I've always kinda liked Alpha. He's a bit of an odd ball. **

**Graceful-rain: Eh, neither of them are completely out of danger yet... and Axil i have HUGE plans for in the kinda not so close future. **

**TriplechangerSpeedster1: Wow that's a mouthful of a penname... I'm so glad you like it so far. **

**AwkwardDragon: Aw, yeah life can get in the way sometimes. No problems. I'm so glad you like it so far!**

**AnswerTheCall:Yeah, it will be a while before help comes... heh heh...**

**Technomouse6533: Yeah, when the War actually stars what Ratchet already know will scare the slag out of a lot of mechs :D and get him into some *cough* legal trouble. Heads up, Prowl's gonna blow a fuse. **

**Skyice98: Ehh, probably.. maybe... if he doesn't get eaten...**

**Child of Jon snow: This answer your question?**

**InterstellarGazer: And i almost didn't get the chapter done today...**

**And here's Chapter 22! Enjoy!**

* * *

xxXXxx

Dusty's Apartment

xxXXxx

Agonizing pain burned through his legs as his energon continued to soak the ground. Panting as his systems overheated, Dusty forced himself to stay conscious. If he went into stasis now, he would never stand a chance. Selion burned though his vents almost as badly as the gashes sliced in his legs and each heavy vent was a struggle. Somewhere to his right, another mech that he didn't even know the designation of had long passed out, unwilling to keep fighting to stay conscious. But Dusty was still young, hardly in his adult frame and there was no way in _Pit_ he was giving up that easy! It didn't matter that his sire had taken the blame for that glitch Titan. He would not lay down and terminate!

The bond with his sire pulsed hotly, flooding with the mech's rage at the orders that had come down from Avalon himself after they realised what had happened.

His sire had been blamed for the collapse and to punish him, Dusty had been thrown down a shaft a few miles away that was having a driller problem.

Now it was only a matter of time before the hundred and twenty foot monster that had been harassing the mine showed up again.

Still panting he rested his helm against the wall he had dragged himself too, shuttering his optics as he tried to cool down.

He didn't realise he had drifted into recharge until a spark-stopping shriek tore through the air. Dusty jerked online just in time to see the massive driller making it's way up the tunnel. His spark stopped as the thing turned toward him and Dusty struggled to get to his peds, his entire frame weak from energon loss.

His sire's rage tripled as he panicked, no doubt feeling his creation's own terror as the thing got closer. At that moment the other mech gave a choking cough and the driller's attention snapped to the other mech.

Dusty's vents stalled entirely as the thing abruptly shot forward with another shriek, slamming into the other mech with a sickening crunch. The mech screamed as he was crushed, the razor sharp rotating gears that made up the beast ripping the mech to shreds in an instance.

Energon and fluids sprayed though the air, covering everything in the gory liquid and Dusty pressed his frame as close to the cavern walls as possible, hoping that by some miracle the thing wouldn't go after him. But as soon as it was finished it's gory feast it turned it's attention back to Dusty.

A whimper escaped the red mech as the driller started toward him. Another terrifying shriek echoed through the air and the driller screamed in reply. Dusty heaved a sob of relief as another silver form, this one of a mech launched himself though the air.

A bladed weapon of some kind stabbed deep into the driller as the mech tore into the things side, silver white optics glowing as the driller shirked in rage and pain. It twisted, tossing the mech off of it and slamming him into the wall, over-dense plating nearly cracking under the force of the blow.

"Sterling!"

It was the worst thing he could have done as the driller's attention that _had _been on their newest transfer, now locked onto him. With another deafening shriek it lunged at him.

A shriek of terror tore from the young mech and-

-Dusty jolted online, falling off the berth as he scrambled to get away from the presence beside him. He hit the ground hard on his shoulder guard and the pain snapped him out of it as Azure jerked online as well.

"Dusty what-?" She asked, her own systems still fuzzy from recharge as Dusty slowly sat up, coughing for air that his frame thought it couldn't have. "I'll comm Chrome-"

"Don't, I'm I'm fine." Dusty panted, his vents slowly getting back under control. "He's got bigger problems. It's just a memory flux."

"Are you sure? That felt different than the usual." Azure said quietly, sliding off the berth to sit on the ground in front of him. "You're under too much stress Dusty, you need to relax."

"Ha." Dusty snorted, propping his kneebolts up and cradle his faceplates in his servos. "I haven't done that in metacycles."

"Ratchet will be alright." Azure said, shifting to snuggle into his side. "And so will Sterling. Ratchet's still young and Sterling…" She trailed off with a sigh. "He's more than capable of taking care of himself."

"It's not Sterling I'm worried about." He said quietly and he raised his helm to look at his mate's concerned blue optics. Primus she was beautiful when she was worried for him. "At this rate, Copper's gonna rip the gang apart. Axil's down, Sterling's gonna snap at any moment, Avalon has a personal grudge of some kind against Ratchet for some reason, Sandstorm's gonna murder the next mech that comes up there and Chrome's gonna murder Copper if I don't keep an optic on him."

"Sweetspark you need to calm down." Azure purred, pulling him closer to her. "Everything will work out. It always does."

"And what if it doesn't Auzie!" Dusty demanded, lurching away to look at her straight on. "What if it doesn't and we get split up. I know for a fact that half the gang will end up with a one way ticket to Kaon. And Ratchet he's…" Dusty cut himself off with a chocked off sob. He was far to stressed out for this kind of slag. "He's still down there, probably leaking out if that driller hasn't finished him off already."

"Oh mech…" Azure whispered, shoving his legs down to crawl into his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck cables to give him a kiss. "You can do it."

"I'm crazier than Sterling." Dusty said quietly, returning the hug and once again marvelling that despite the odds and danger, he had found a mate. He had never know that the beautiful young femme that had literally walked into him would become the femme he would bond to and have a gorgeous femmeling with. "I'm just as crazy as the rest of my crack-case gang."

"And you love them all like brothers." Azure said with a smirk.

"Course I do." Dusty said, leaning forward to give her another passionate kiss.

"Sire? What's going on? Why are you and Carrier on the ground?" A soft, recharge filed voice asked.

Dusty and Azure jerked apart like two younglings and their attention snapped to the grey and blue femmeling standing in the doorway, rubbing recharge from her optics as she hugged an oversized and worn pillow to her side.

"Sire's just a little stressed out." Azure said, reluctantly sliding back to the ground instead of in her mate's lap as Dusty chuckled, embarrassment and amusement playing across the bond.

"Did you have another memory flux?" Pixel asked, straightening up. "You woke me up when you screamed."

Dusty winced, he hadn't realised he's done that out loud and Azure chuckled, nudging him.

"And he fell off the berth." Azure added and Pixel giggled as Dusty glared at his mate.

"You can come sleep with me." Pixel said as she walked over to stand in front of her sire.

"Oh really?" Dusty asked with a smirk.

"If I had a memory flux Carrier would let me sleep in your berth if you weren't home." Pixel added.

"Why are you having memory fluxes?" Dusty asked in concern. This was the first that he'd heard of it.

"I'd have memory fluxes that you weren't coming home." Pixel mumbled, optics drifting to the side as she played with the corner of the pillow.

"Oh femmeling." Dusty crooned, pulling her closer to him and hugging her fiercely. "I'll always be here for you."

"I know." She mumbled into his armor.

"Go sleep with her or neither of you are going to sleep." Azure said with a laugh, standing up and crawling back onto the berth.

"Hey Pix." Dusty whispered into the femmeling's audio. "Wanna jump on the berth?"

Pixel giggled, nodding her helm and Dusty stood up, propping her on his hipbolt before jumping onto the berth beside his mate.

Azure let out an undignified squawk as Dusty grabbed her as well, half rolling onto her and sticking his faceplates into her neck cables and blowing a raspberry while Pixel howled with laughter.

"And who will scare your monsters away then?" Dusty asked quietly as Azure pushed him off with a snarl and snuggled into his side, Pixel wiggling in-between them.

"I guess you'll have to do." Azure murmured, pressing another kiss to his lipplates. "My mech in shining armor."

xxXXxx

Three miles underground

xxXXxx

The thing had been scared off by the light and Ratchet focused on venting, his frame trembling with raw terror and pain.

It had been longer then Carbon was tall, probably close to forty feet long. Silver-grey gear like segments slowly rotated along it's entire length as it had moved before darting off impossibly fast.

He had never seen a driller before and he never wanted to again. Well into a panic attack, Ratchet dropped his helm back down against his arm, a sob escaping his vents.

"Primus, please someone help me." He whispered.

xxXXxx

Chrome's Medbay

xxXXxx

The two IV bags of minerals were safe in Focus' subspace as he raced as fast as his low altmode could handle back up the rut road to Chrome's medbay. Which considering that his altmode was designed for smooth roads and not the barely there tracks up the mountain wasn't very even warming up his engine. Primus he couldn't wait to see if Ratchet liked the small place he found.

Pulling up to the medbay he was surprised to see the lights still dimmed. It was like nobody was there. Transforming, he walked in, jumping when the tan miner, Sand… Sandstorm snarled at him, far more hostility then the usual 'want-to-rip-your-spark-out" hostility.

Thankfully the miner was at the other end of the medbay, sprawled out in a chair beside Axil's berth. Ratchet had told him that they were best friends.

Nervously, and his armor flaring at the smoldering glare he was receiving, he almost walked into Chrome's office door.

"Uh, Chrome. You in there?" He asked, his voice a few octaves higher than normal asn he quietly knocked on the door. .

"He's recharging." Sandstorm snarled, red optics fierce and full of hate.

"I- I have the minerals for Axil." Focus stammered, unable to hold the miner's glare.

"Oh good." Chrome said, sliding the door open and making Focus jump again. "One thing positive all orn."

"What do you mean?" Focus asked. "Where's Ratchet."

Chrome didn't say anything and Focus felt his spark stop.

"Chrome, where's Ratchet." Focus demanded, ignoring the warning snarl he got from Sandstorm.

"There was an accident. He fell." Chrome said. "We… we don't know if… if he's still functional."

"Where!" Focus demanded.

"Up the road. You won't make it, Ratchet barely did." Chrome replied but Focus had already subspace the minerals and handed them to him before turning and bolting out of the medbay.

"Focus!" Chrome yelled after him, running outside.

"He's my best friend Chrome! I'm going!" Focus called over his shoulder before transforming and peeling out down the road.

xxXXxx

Three Miles Underground

xxXXxx

Something moved and Ratchet jerked his helm up at the sound, optics as good as blind in the dark. His plating flared in fear, knowing that the thing was back. The sound got closer and another pain filled whimper escaped him as he realised that it was moving behind him. Something brushed against his back and he bit back the howl of pain as the razor sharp gears, as slow as they had been turning, stripped his armor to the raw plating. He was trembling as he started to pant, trying to keep as quiet as possible but the sound of it moving around echoed though the place.

He had never been more terrified in his life. Even facing Sterling's anger was nothing like hearing that thing circling him, slowly getting closer every time it went past him.

He couldn't stop the sharp cry of pain though as it butted his hipbolt with it's face and jerked away, a low hiss coming from it as it backed off. Sobs racked his frame as his hipbolt continued to burn like someone had dumped acid on it. Every shudder of his frame sent more agony though his badly damaged frame and for the first time, the thought that nobody would come, crossed his processor.

"They- they'll come…" He stammered, fear and pain making his voice crack as the hiss started turning into a whine and the thing moved closer. "They… they have to come… Chrome… Chrome won't give up…"

But the warnings continually flooding his vison proved otherwise. He had lost a huge amount of energon and his core temperature was steadily climbing as he panicked. He couldn't move as he was paralysed from the waist down and it would take orns before they managed to get down to him.

And now he had what was supposed to be an extinct beast circling him and just waiting for the moment to strike.

He had joors if he was lucky. Klicks if his luck continued the way it was going.

He felt steady pressure on his legs and another sob wracked his frame as he realised the thing was half on him again. For once, he was thankful that he couldn't feel his legs. But then it slammed it's face into his back and he screamed before the pain sent him spiraling into stasis.

xxXXxx

Chainjack's Mine

xxXXxx

Jigsaw cried out as something snapped, the cable securing him to the shaft wall snapping and whipping past Dusty, gashing his arm open to the strut. Dusty ignored the pain as he instinctively released his own cable, all but free falling to grab Jigsaw's arm and stop him from falling all the way down the shaft. He relocked the cable and they jolted to a stop, Dusty cursing as his arm was nearly ripped from it's socket.

"Jigsaw!" Dusty yelled, glancing down at the mech as he hung from the cable.

"I… I think… I hit my… my helm." Jigsaw stammered weakly, his free servo pressed against the side of his helm where Dusty could see the glow of energon.

"You got to climb back up mech." Dusty ordered, wincing when he heard the cable creak. It could hold their weight. But the anchors might not. "Come on Jigsaw."

The mech nodded weakly before bracing his peds against the wall. Dusty slowly released his grip on the mech's bracer and he braced it against the shaft wall, venting hard.

"You alright?" Dusty demanded.

"Dizzy." Jigsaw replied shortly before carefully climbing up the shaft. As soon as he was past Dusty he grabbed the cable, clipping back into it and started climbing up as Dusty shadowed him.

"What happened!" Carbon demanded, grabbing Jigsaw as he all but flopped out of the shaft, energon trickling down the side of his helm.

"Something snapped." Dusty said, climbing out and finally glancing at the damage to his arm.

The cable has cut his armor open and sliced though his protoform. Wires and tubing were severed and he gasped as something sparked.

"Chrome's on his way, come on." Carbon ordered, steadying Jigsaw outside and letting him collapse against the wall, cradling his helm in his servos.

"No!" Dusty cried, clutching the deep gash on his arm as he gritted his denta. "No, no no no…"

"You can't go back down there, not with your arm gashed open like that." Carbon said.

"We were so close!" Dusty hissed, grief filling his voice. "We were so close! A few hundred more feet and we would have gotten it!"

"What- what… happened!"

Dusty and Carbon glanced up sharply to see Focus stumbling up the road, pausing a couple yards away and gasping for air.

"Did you run up here?" Carbon asked in shock.

"Made… made… it half… half way…" He gasped. "Chro… Chrome told… me… that Ratchet fell."

Dusty visibly flinched, ignoring the energon dripping down his arm.

"What… happened to you." Focus asked, walking up.

"Cable snapped." Dusty bit out.

"What does that mean." Focus demanded.

"It means we can't get down there. Dusty and Jigsaw are hurt and they're the one ones that could get down there." Carbon explained.

"What about-"

"You're not going down. End of story royal." Dusty snarled and Focus scowled, his armor flaring.

"What about Ratchet then!" Focus demanded. "He's still down there!"

"So is Sterling." Dusty mumbled.

"What?!" Carbon yelled.

"He's Ratchet's last hope. We can't get down here and he's the only one that could navigate those tunnels." Dusty continued.

xxXXxx

3 Miles Underground.

xxXXxx

Sterling sensed the driller long before it sensed him. With a roar Sterling lunged at it, bringing his blade down where it collided with the ground with a ringing crash. Sparks ricocheted everywhere as the thing let out a squeal, scrambling backwards as its gears spun in alarm.

Still snarling, Sterling advanced on the thing, stepping over-

"Ratchet!"

Snapping out of his coding, and forgetting about the driller he dropped his blade and collapsed to his kneebolts, servos hesitating over the young medic's horrifically damaged frame. Gently he rested a servo on Ratchet's shoulder guard.

The last thing he expected was for the apprentice to shriek in fear.

"Ratchet's it's meh!" Sterling yelled, keeping pressure on Ratchet to keep him from moving.

"Sterling…?" Ratchet squeaked, his vents coming far too hard and fast to be healthy.

"Yeah, yeah it's meh." Sterling repeated before remembering that he had been running on night vision. "Watch ya optics."

He switched his headlights on and cringed as more of Ratchet's injuries because visible.

"Primus, your legs…" He trailed off in horror.

"I... I can't move… I broke my spinal support in the fall. I can't feel anything below my waist." Ratchet whispered.

"Good thang too." Sterling muttered.

"What's… what does it look like?" Ratchet asked in a weak voice.

"Ya don't want to know." Sterling said, shaking his helm. There was no way in pit he was going to tell Ratchet that Chrome would more than likely have to amputate both his legs at the hipbolts.

"Sterling please, I know something's wrong." Ratchet begged. Sterling glanced away as he clenched his jaw. "Sterling… please…"

"Tha' thing's been feedin' on yah legs. Only reason ya still online is because ya can't feel 'em." Sterling finally said. It looked like someone had fed him though a compactor. Twice. Ratchet let out a sob as he dropped his helm back down and Sterling tightened his grip on the mech's shoulder guard.

"Ey! Ah'm gonna get ya out o' 'ere. Ya got tha'?" Sterling barked, hoc voice echoing in the cavern. Ratchet flinched, vents coming fast and hard as he nodded.

"Come on, Ah think ah drove it off-"

A shriek ripped through the air and another sob wracked Ratchet's frame. Sterling snarled, snatching up his blade and whipping around, swinging the long blade and the driller just avoided being sliced in half as it lunged at them.

"Don't move, an' don't make ah sound!" Sterling ordered, launching to his peds and taking up a defensive stance as he doused the lights. He heard Ratchet whimper before going silent.

His coding took over again and he tracked the sound of the driller as it moved, its frame hissing lowly. Sterling flared his armor before sending a shuddering pulse though his frame. His armor rattled and he did it again, faster and faster.

The same, spark-stopping shriek ripped through his plating as he snarled and the driller screamed back, echoing the challenge. It was easy to follow, Ratchet's energon coating it and making it glow on his scanners.

"Come on ya fragger, come an' get someone tha' can take ya on." Sterling hissed, still standing between it and Ratchet instead of taking the fight to it like most of his kind would.

It was the one string of coding that had corrupted the hunter coding and kept him sane when everyone else had snapped. His kind were never supposed to have bonded. They were too dangerous for any femme to ever feel safe around.

But even with the risk, Carmine had still bonded with him and his desire to protect her, to protect his mate, had been enough to override the coding. When he'd been sent to Iacon and seen how fiercely the boss fought for his gang, it didn't take long for that protective urge to include the gang he was quickly becoming to think of as brothers.

Ratchet was his friend, and more than that, he was his brother. And he would give his life for his brothers.

"Ah'll take ya on!" Sterling roared, diving at the thing.

xxXXxx

Chainjack's mine

xxXXxx

"You're not going down." Chrome growled as he finished welding Dusty's arm. "You went and ripped open vital lines."

"Chrome-"

"No." The medic snarled. "Don't even think about it. Next time you'll yank your arm off."

Dusty glanced away, gritting his denta till he tasted sparks. He had to get down there he _had_ to!

"Jigsaw hit his helm pretty hard." Focus spoke up from where he was crouching next to the semi-conscious miner. "Nothing's damaged other than a good sized dent in his helm but I wouldn't let him do any hard work for at least a few orns."

"I can work royal." Jigsaw growled, using a servo against the wall to get to his peds. He took a step forward and immediately stumbled, clutching his helm. Focus grabbed his arm before he could fall, propping him up as Carbon walked over to support his larger weight.

"Or you can just sit here and wait for the world to stop spinning." Focus offered.

"I just might do that on second thought." Jigsaw muttered, once again leaning against the wall.

"Smart mech." Carbon said with a smirk before abruptly gasping, stumbling back and dropping to one kneebolt and clutching his helm.

"Carbon! What the frag!" Chrome demanded before Dusty could open his mouth.

"I didn't do anything I swear!" Focus blurted, jumping away and his armor standing on end.

"Comm hack, someone wants to talk to you." Carbon ground out, pressing a servo to the side of his helm and swearing under his breath as he databurst Dusty the invader's comm link.

"**Look," **Dusty snarled over the comm. **"I do **_**not**_** appreciate strangers hacking my mech's and-"**

"**Designation Omega Vector. Objective: Assist in rescue mission of apprentice medic designation Ratchet."**

"**Wha…?" **Dusty stammered in confusion but his processor was locked on the mech's designation. No.

_Title._

"**Omega?! Wha- Wha-" **

"What the frag is going on and why do you look like you just saw a sparkeater?" Chrome demanded, smacking Dusty's helm to get his attention.

"There's… there's an Omega asking to land." He stammered.

"What?!" Chrome demanded.

"An Omega?!" Focus sputtered. "As in those mechs that mine the Rust Sea for that metal to make frames?!"

"Yes that kind of Omega." Dusty said, standing up. "We have to clear the area, there's a fraggin Omega coming!"

"Where the frag did he come from!" Chrome demanded.

"You think I'm gonna argue?!" Dusty squawked. "He said he's here to get Ratchet."

Chrome stared at him blankly as Dusty turned away from him.

"**Vector, how far out are you." **He asked over the comm.

"**Three klicks." **

Dusty's helm snapped up as he heard the steady roar of a shuttle.

"**The mine's here. The plateau should be big enough for you to land." **Dusty replied as he fired off their coordinates and the mech circled overhelm. He received an affirmative and the shuttle started to descend.

"Why the frag is there an _Omega_ coming here?!" Chrome blurted, running after Dusty as he moved out of the way.

"How would I know?!" Dusty countered, spinning on the bigger mech. "I just dig holes in the ground!"

The wind picked up and both mechs glanced up as the shuttle landed on the plateau.

"Sweet Primus he's huge…" Chrome muttered as steam hissed from the shuttle before a sharp crack echoed through the air. Everyone but Jigsaw jumped in alarm, the sound far too similar to a beam snapping under too much pressure.

The plates of the shuttle broke apart, sliding apart and climbing. And it just kept getting bigger as massive wide peds and legs formed, a huge mass of a torso and a glass shielded helm rapidly forming despite the sheer size of the mech.

"Ok, now I know what it feels like to feel short." Carbon said, his voice _almost_ squeaking as he took a subconscious step back.

"Shut up." Dusty snarled, armor standing on edge as he glared up at the much taller mech. Carbon shrugged innocently as Jigsaw chuckled weakly from where he was still being supported by the black mech.

But Carbon was right. The scuffed green and yellow Omega towered over even Carbon's thirty foot height at a massive one hundred twenty feet tall and utterly dwarfed Dusty's mere twenty foot frame.

"Query: Dusty." The mech asked and Dusty gulped nervously before Chrome shoved him forward.

"That's me." Dusty called up, his voice squeaking and he coughed harshly. "I'm in charge."

"Request information on mission."

"Yeah." Dusty replied before quietly databursting the mech everything he knew. How the flooring just inside had collapsed, how they had started opening the tunnel out until they had gotten hurt, and how it had been almost an orn and half since Ratchet fell. "And one other thing." He added hesitantly.

"Continue."

"We got a fairly good tip that there may be a driller down there."

"Threat level: Minimum." The Omega replied after a moment and Dusty visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Our best plan was to get down that shaft and drill the talginite out. But you'll never get far enough in there to drill it out." Dusty continued, taking a few steps closer. Primus, the mech's _ped_ was taller than him…

"Only option: Dig new shaft." The Omega replied before turning toward the mine entrance with a thundering step.

"Wait what?!" Dusty stammered before dropping into his alt mode and racing toward the mine. He skidded to a stop and flipped into his bipedal form. "What do you mean dig a new shaft?! Ratchet doesn't have time to wait for _anyone_ to dig a new shaft!"

"Approximate time till shaft completion: Four joors."

Dusty stared at the mech in complete shock.

"Four… four joors?" He squeaked.

"As in four hours till we haul what ever's left of Ratchet out of that hole?" Carbon asked only to get a solid hit upside the back of the helm. Chrome snarled at him and it was probably only the fact that Jigsaw was now leaning on him that he didn't throttle the bigger mech.

"I mean, course he's alright." Carbon corrected, glancing nervously at Chrome before sidestepping away from Chrome's furious look.

"Affirmative." The Omega replied, glancing at Carbon before he transformed again.

"Primus…" Dusty stammered as the massive drilling platform rolled forward on heavy tank treads a few feet.

"**Dusty: Assistance required." **

"Yeah, no problem." He replied, running toward the massive platform as the door opened. He scrambled up the ladder and into the cab, the door sliding shut and plunging the small room into darkness. "Whoa."

The walls of the cab lit up with holographic screens while the floor was reinforced glass.

"I have a bad feeling about that…" Dusty muttered eyeing the glass before taking a seat in the tall chair in the middle of the cab.

"I am unfamiliar with the metals found in this part of Cybertron." Vector said.

"Ok, talginite is the one you have to be worried about. If you're used to Rust Sea sand, talginite will tear you apart. You drill to fast, the bit will overheat and snap off. Same thing with too…" Dusty trailed off as the screens lit up.

Dials and gauges filled two of the screens with everything from pressure to speed to coolant flow and a dozen other meters he didn't recognised. A massive engine roared and Dusty stiffened as he felt the platform move.

"Where we going?" Dusty asked, gripping the arm rests of the chair.

"Into position for shaft." Vector responded.

"I told you that's never going to work." Dusty said with a sigh. "You may have said 4 joors but you just told me that you'd never drilled around here before."

To his disappointment, Vector didn't respond.

But then the volume of the engine doubled and Dusty winced at the roar. The entire platform shuddered and Dusty's armor flared in alarm again.

"Initiating drilling sequence." Vector droned and Dusty jumped again as there was a horrific crunch and Vector shuddered before the drill bit caught and it tore into the planet surface.

"**Carbon, get Longhaul and Scrapper up here now! We need this scrap moved now!"** Dusty ordered over the comms.

"**Copy that Boss."** Carbon replied before cutting the comm.

"**Uh Dusty? You busy?" ** Sandstorm asked in a skittish tone. Dusty straightened in alarm to focus on the comm. Sandstorm was never skittish.

"**Why…?"** Dusty asked nervously.

"**Because someone just came ripping up the road like their tailpipe was on fire."**

"**What?!"**

"**Some low slung royal. Never seen them before though." **

"**Oh for fraggin sakes."** Dusty snarled. **"Chrome you got that?"**

"**Stranger coming up the road and we've only broken every rule on this side of Iacon? Yeah I'd be twitchy too."** Chrome replied. **"Fine, I'll play damage control."**

"**Thanks."** Dusty said before cutting the comm. and groaning. "This had better wor- oh wow."

Four more screens had lit up with different camera angles and he watched as the biggest drill he had seen ever rip through the ground. The thirty foot diameter ring sawed through the metal like nothing he had ever seen before while three smaller drill bits broke up the rest. Corkscrews brought the scrap back up the rapidly forming pit where it was dumped on conveyer belts and moved away from the platform where it was dumped off to the side.

Carbon was already parked under the conveyer belt, his box almost full.

"Five thousand feet?!" Dusty blurted, one of the dials catching his optic. "You're five thousand feet down already?! It's been half a joor!"

"Affirmative." Came Vector's reply, almost sounding smug and Dusty shook his helm sharply. No fraggin _way _they were that far down! Dusty did the rapid math in his helm and bolted to his peds.

"Four joors!"

Sweet Primus, they were going to make it!

"**Dusty, we got a serious problem!" ** Sandstorm snarled into the comm. and Dusty went rigid.

"**Now what!" **He demanded.

* * *

**What's this? Another cliff hanger? No... why would i do that?  
**

**See you next week and have a good Thanksgiving! **


	23. Coding

**Finally got another chapter done, sorry about the long wait guys, I've been busy and having minor issues with 'can't focus on friggin' anything.' But now I'm back this week and seeing as Halloween is over i might be able to relax a bit and type. Proving i can stay focused...**

**So, i forgot to remind everyone last chapter that the 200th review gets a oneshot and holy mackerel TMJ:A is at 203! that's 70 more then the old version and we're only half way though the old one! I love you guys! Triplechangerspeedster1 was the 200th reviewer and i;ll get that one out ASAP. **

**On that note, check out Field Day for a bit of a spoiler, it was the oneshot for the 150th review. I;ll be posting TMJ oneshots there because i plan on doing a bunch and it keep my profile a little more organized. **

**Reviews and there's a bunch!**

**Clumsy Peg: Welcome back and glad you were able to catch up. It'd definantly changed a fair bit. And Sterling's accent is a blast. One you get the hang of it and you've corrupted you computer's spell check enough it gets easier. **

**Crassher55: Of course it's a cliffhanger! I love them to much!**

**Neon: Yes a cliffie. I'm awful for that. I've given up on the Prowl fic, my inspiration died. That's why i like to write the whole thing then post. **

**Triplechangerspeedster1: Ha, after you let me tweak it, i wrote the same amount that took me a week I re-wrote in two hours. **

**Jazzilynn Hall: Yeah, that was one of my favorite lines as well. I kinda feel that way at work. 'Where the heck is our stuff' 'i don't know i just work here!'**

**Sunstreaker's Squishy:I'm glad you like the changes. That was one of the biggest things was that I wanted to develop everyone more. **

**KayleeChiara: In my universe, depending on where you come from depends on size, mass, shape of armor (jagged or smooth) that kind of thing. Technically speaking Dusty is the only Iaconian sparked mech int he gang (other then Ratchet) so he's average size. Also, working class mechs are usually bigger because the weaker and smaller don't survive the work. I just put up a bit of a guide on my profile so feel free to check it out.  
**

**Autobotguy710: that's gonna take some getting used to... brain keeps wanting to do Answerthecall. And yes, finally posted. **

**HeartsGuardianSol: I'm Canadian. Turkey day is October 12 up here. The you pig out on candy for Halloween, then it's the family November birthday gathering where you pig out again, then it's Christmas where you get more food! I love Canada...**

**Skyice98:Yeah, I'm awful to him. One day that's gonna bite me in the butt.**

**Child of Jon snow: Don;t remember if i answered this or not but it was a dream. **

**Guest: Lots and lots of fun stuff!**

**InterstellerGazer:I'm so glad you like it, reviews like that just make my day so much better. **

**Techmouse6533: Yeah, Sterling has probably gone though the most changes out of anyone. I keep coming up with better and better ideas for him. He's gonna be sticking around for a long time, i have a lot of things that will later be riding on him. And as for trusting Focus... eh... tolerate him is a better word. But he's someone that so skinny/scrawny/pathetic/weak that you would never feel threatened by him. Ratchet was a little bit more confident and he was the first one to show up so they were far more leery of him. **

**And on to chapter 23!**

* * *

"**Now what!" **Dusty demanded

"**There's mechs all over the place. I used the terminal in Chrome's office and word about your Omega has gone viral."** Sandstorm replied.

"**Spawn of a glitch!"**

"**That's what I said. What do I do." **

Dusty snarled, clenching his servos into fists.

"Omega, you good for now? I got some problems I need to take care of." He said after a moment.

"Presence no longer required." Vector replied and Dusty bolted from the cab.

"**Carbon, Longhaul, Scrapper, keep moving that scrap away from Vector so he can work."** Dusty ordered.

"**We're on our way."** Scrapper replied.

"**Chrome, take Jigsaw back to the medbay, Sandy, when he gets there, grab Ironlock and get up here to play crowd control."**

"**Copy that."** Sandstorm growled.

"**What about you?"** Ironlock asked.

"**I'm with Vector. He's never drilled anywhere but the Sea." **Dusty explained. **"Not to mention with all the publicity, Copper is going to blow a fuse. Someone's gonna have to keep you mechs in line."**

"**True that." **Sandstorm muttered. **"I can talk-"**

"**Don't even think about it."** Dusty snarled before cutting the comm.

"What's going on?" Focus asked and Dusty glanced at him with a scowl.

"Did you comm anyone about what happened here." He demanded.

"I…" Focus hesitated and Dusty growled. "I- I commed a friend."

"How many."

"Just one. She's- She's our friend." Focus stammered. "She wouldn't tell anyone though."

"Then tell her to get out of here." Dusty ordered. "This is the last place for a femme."

"I told her not to come. I did! I told her it was too dangerous and that…" Focus snapped his mouth shut, glancing away nervously.

"That what." Dusty demanded.

"I- I think she likes him." Focus said quietly. "And if he's in as bad of shape as Chrome thinks… she… she doesn't need to see that."

Dusty winced, knowing that _if_ he was still functional, Ratchet's injuries would put Chrome's skills to the test. Proving they could even get him and Sterling out.

"Would she be one to spread the word?"

"No, not about something like this. I don't think." Focus stammered.

"Then how the frag did word get out." Dusty hissed irritably to himself before refocusing on Focus. "Just get down to the 'bay with Chrome and stay out of the way."

"Yessir." Focus mumbled before bolting after Chrome.

xxXXxx

Three Miles Underground.

xxXXxx

Ratchet swallowed a whimper as another spark stopping shriek rang though the cavern. Just as fast the driller screamed an echoing challenge. Energon covered the ground and glowed a sickly, green blue that lit up Sterling's frame and made him glow like a torch.

The driller was moving back and forth in front of the silver mech, the energon on the ground streaming from a deep gash in the thing's side. The slashed gears down it's length clicked together as they tried to rotate.

The unsettling sound was sending shivers up his spinal support.

Abruptly the driller screamed again and Sterling's armor warped and flexed unnaturally, copying the sound down to the spark-stopping note.

His vision flickered for a moment and the next thing he knew, Sterling was calling his designation.

"Ratch. Ratchet ya still with meh?" Sterling asked quietly and the medic tried to focus. "Ratchet?"

"Yeah…" He managed to reply weakly. Sterling walked over to him and stabbed that wicked looking blade into the ground while keeping a grip on the hilt of the strange weapon as he crouched beside Ratchet. Energon, bright blue this time, was dripping down the mech's side.

"Sterling-" he rasped, reaching for the dripping wound.

"Ah'm fine, Ah'm fine. Ah can't feel anything." Sterling assured him, brushing his servo aside. "Just ah scratch. Ow ya still 'oldin' up mech?"

"Functioning." Ratchet replied weakly. He was in agony but at least he was still conscious.

"Good good. Tha's all tha' matters. Jus' stay with meh mech." Sterling said with a smirk. "Jus' stay with meh."

"Where… where is… it?" Ratchet asked, trying to crane his neck to see around Sterling's bulk.

"Ah got it." Sterling assured him. "Won't bother ya again."

Ratchet vented a huge sob of relief, dropping his helm on his arm again and Sterling rested a servo on his shoulder guard, giving it a light squeeze in reassurance that sent daggers of pain down his frame.

"They commin' fo' us Ratch." He said quietly. "Ah know they are."

"Talk… just keep talking…." Ratchet asked quietly, fading in and out of consciousness. "It's… it's too quiet."

"Bout wha?" Sterling asked, those glowing white optics the only source of light as the energon on his frame and on the ground started to dry and fade.

"How… how do they hunt…?" Ratchet asked weakly. A flash of surprise crossed Sterling's features before he sobered.

"Why." He asked.

"Just curious…" Ratchet replied before coughing hoarsely. His vents were slowly flooding with energon and it was getting harder and harder to keep cycling air.

"They attracted tah energon." Sterling said after a moment. "They blind so they use smell an' sensors down their entire frame. Like wha' Ah 'ave. Crystal, liquid, ah mech's life fluid, don't matter tah them."

"It was… drawn to the mine…"

"Yeah. Tha's mah guess." Sterling replied. "They also like tah smell o' selion. It doesn't affect 'em like it does us. Ya get ah cavern o' energon an' fill it with selion gas an' every driller in ah hundred mile radius will come crawling through tah ground."

"Then how-" Ratchet cut himself off as he coughed again, sending stabbing pain though his frame. He couldn't take much more of this.

"Easy, easy mechling, stay with meh." Sterling said quietly, releasing the blade to drop to the ground fully, his servo ghosting over Ratchet's mutilated frame. "Just vent, don't force it."

"That's what I'm supposed to say." Ratchet panted as his frame heaved for air. "How- how do you terminate them."

"Up close an' personal." Sterling continued. "Guns won't do nothin' tah them, ya got ah use blades. The longer tah better. Their energon is acidic. So is their bite."

"My legs…"

"Ya. They ah mess 'cause of that acid." Sterling mumbled, glancing away. Ratchet shuddered, knowing full well the damage a mech could get from having acid seep into the fuel lines. It also explained the steady burning in his vents.

The silver mech abruptly stiffened, his attention snapping around, then up and Ratchet felt his spark stop.

"Wha…?" Ratchet wheezed, the fluid filling his vents making him cough again and sending burning pain though his systems.

"Somethin's wrong…" Sterling muttered, shooting to his peds and grabbing his weapon.

It was the last thing Ratchet wanted to hear and he felt the claws of another panic attack sink into his spark.

Just then he felt the slightest tremor though his badly damaged frame and Sterling snarled, optics locked on the ceiling.

"Primus it's another one…" Ratchet wheezed, coughing violently and spitting energon to the side. Sterling spared him a glance, worry filling his white optics before refocusing on the ceiling.

"Naw. Pitch is wrong. Somethin' else." He said. "Ya need tah move. Wha' ever it is, it's right on top 'o us."

"Sterling you… you move me I… could terminate!"

"Ya don't move an' ya'll terminate anyway when wha'ever's comin' though tha' lands on ya 'elm." Sterling said bluntly and Ratchet whimpered again.

"Ah'm sorry mech bu' this is gonna 'urt." Sterling said as he stabbed his blade back into the ground.

"Wait wait!" Ratchet objected as he felt Sterling place a servo on his shoulder guard.

"Ratchet-!"

"My… my vents are flooded." Ratchet panted. "You flip me… on my back to move me and… and I'll drown."

"So Ah'll move ya fast." Sterling said with a shrug. "Don't scream."

"Wha-"

Sterling grabbed his shoulder guards with no warning and Ratchet shrieked in agony before everything went black.

xxXXxx

Sterling shut his audios off just before he grabbed Ratchet. He saw the apprentice arch in agony, mouth open in a silent scream. A spike of regret shot though him when he saw Ratchet's optics finally go dark in stasis lock. But as soon as he turned his audios back on, he heard the wet sucking sound of flooded vents.

He knew from experience the safest way was to drag him and he moved Ratchet as fast as he dared farther down the tunnel and hopefully away from any falling debris. As gently as he could he turned Ratchet back onto his side, hissing as energon streamed from the mech's vents. The chocking sound slowed to wet heaving but Sterling didn't need his scanners to know the mech was failing.

He glanced back to where the vibrations were coming from and winced. Energon covered the ground from both Ratchet and the driller. With a low snarl, his armor rippling with a hiss, he bolted back to the sword, then back to Ratchet's side.

The spawn of Unicron had taken off and his coding had screamed at him to finish the job and go after it. But the warped part, the part that Carmine had corrupted, demanded that he stay and protect his gang. And her conscious won out.

That thing would be back to finish the job. He doubted that just feeding off the scraps of Chainjack's mine had been enough for the thing and after it attacked Piston, it would want real energon. The thing would come back to finish Ratchet.

Sterling hissed again, the low, threating sound echoing through the tunnel as he tightened his grip on his blade.

xxXXxx

Chrome's Medbay

xxXXxx

Nova skidded to a stop when she saw Chrome, Focus and another mech she didn't recognise coming up the road.

"Chrome!" she called, skidding to a stop to block the road as the medic pulled up.

"Nova?!"

"Nova! I told ynot to come!" Focus called as he transformed and ran to her. "Dusty's gonna murder me!"

"What's going on, you told me that Ratchet was hurt." Nova said, green optics full of confusion and fear."

Focus didn't answer but glanced at Chrome. Nova's gaze followed his and she locked optics with the medic.

"Chrome? What's going on?" She asked in a quiet voice.

"The flooring collapsed." Chrome said.

"Oh Primus." Nova gasped, "Is he alright? Where is he?"

"Bout three miles below the planet surface…" Chrome continued with a wince.

Nova stared at him for a few klicks in numb shock and it wasn't until Focus reached out a servo to touch her arm did she snap out of it.

"What?" She squeaked.

"We're heading down to the 'bay. Come on." Focus said quietly. Nova nodded as Chrome once again transformed and took off down the road. "Come on."

Nova finally transformed, falling in behind them just as another group of mechs came racing up the track. Chrome swerved to the side with a yelled curse and other dire threats. Just as the last mech ripped past Nova suddenly hit the brakes, fishtailing around and took off after them back up the track.

xxXXxx

Chainjack's mine

xxXXxx

"What the frag?!" Dusty stammered, staring as half a dozen mechs tore up onto the edge of the plateau. "Would someone please tell me what's going on?"

"I'd tell you if I knew." Carbon growled, his armor plates starting to flare even in his altmode. "That is far too many royals for my comfort."

"Keep an optic on them while you're hauling scrap. They get in the way, drive them off but don't damage anyone." Dusty ordered before glancing at the mech. Carbon shifted on his axils before slowly moving off to dump the huge pile of scrap on his box. Dusty watched him go, then back at the Omega.

That mech was doing more in a joor then his gang managed in a cycle.

"**How's it going Omega?"** Dusty asked over the comm.

"**Working at optimal performance." ** Vector responded and Dusty bobbed his helm in a nod, taking that as a positive sign. Engines coming up the road dragged his attention away from the impressive mech to where Sandstorm came ripping up the road. He swerved around a royal and ended up doing a full 180. Ironlock swerved around him at a slower pace while Longhaul and Scrapper rumbled up the road behind them. Both mechs instantly made a beeline for the rapidly growing pile of scrap metal that was pouring off the Omega's conveyer belt as he drilled and Dusty focused on Ironlock and Sandstorm as they walked up.

"So do we get to run them off?" Sandstorm asked, clawed servos flexing at his sides.

"No, just make sure they don't get in the way. With Carbon and Longhaul running back and forth like this the last thing I want is someone getting run over." Dusty said. "I hate this. Someone set us up."

"Then why send the Omega?" Sandstorm asked.

"It's like… two mechs are fighting over this. The royals have Avalon's style all over it. We mess up and someone gets hurt, we get shipped off."

"He sent the Omega to draw them out? I know I've never seen one before." Sandstorm continued.

"Or you could just ask him yourself!"

Dusty cringed at Carbon's yell from across the plateau.

"Or you could just do that." Sandstorm said with a grin as Dusty shot Carbon a dark look.

"Just make sure none of them get to close to him." Dusty said gesturing toward the crowd before heading back to the Omega. The cab door slid open as he got closer and Dusty climbed in, freezing in the doorway.

"Oh frag no." He mumbled under his breath, staring at the gaping hole beneath his peds. A metal shaft liner of some kind was reinforcing the sides of the massive pit while beams with deep gear teeth dropped down into the pit around the circumference of the pit every few feet.

Abruptly the glass tinted to almost black and the gaping hole vanished.

"Thanks." Dusty said, hesitantly stepping out onto the glass and not look like he was scared out of his spark. He got into that chair not fast enough and released a vent of air. He was not afraid of heights but staring down a two mile hole?! That was just… wrong…

"Hey Omega, who sent you here?" Dusty asked casually.

"Orders from Sentinel Prime."

"Sentinel Prime?!" Dusty sputtered in alarm. "_He_ sent you?!"

"Explanation required."

"Sentinel hates us. Why the pit would he send help for one of us?" Dusty asked out loud.

"Paying off debt to miner designated Sterling."

"Ok, now I'm really confused." Dusty said, putting his helm into his servos. "He may hate us but he _despises_ Sterling."

A horrific shriek rang out and Dusty hissed, covering his audios instinctively before he realised what it was.

"Shut the drill down!" Dusty yelled, jolting out of the chair. "Shut it down!"

The roar of the engine died down to a low rumble and Dusty collapsed back into the chair.

"No damage sustained."

"Good. That was close." Dusty muttered.

"Query. Talginite."

"That's the stuff. Hurts don't it." Dusty said with a smirk, gaze drifting over the dials. Levels were all below redlining despite there being five times the normal number of gauges. "You have to go slow. Got any coolant you can divert to the drill head to keep it cool?"

"Affirmative."

"Good. Keep the drill bit from getting to hot and drill slow. It will spark like crazy though but it won't do any damage." Dusty continued. "Not too much anyways."

"Just repaired from shattered drillbit."

Dusty shrugged.

"Sorry."

The drillhead started up again and a low whine filled the cab.

"That's it. Nice and slow." Dusty mumbled. "How do you keep track of everything, I can hardly sit here and watch everything without getting a processor ache."

"Split processor manages different functions simultaneously."

"Ah." Dusty said with a nod before a loud voice caught his attention. "Aw frag, you good? The density changes sometimes so keep an optic on that."

"Affirmative."

Dusty bolted back out of the cab just in time to see Sandstorm towering over a femme that was either bravely, or stupidly, holding her ground. And Sandy looked like he was going to pummel her.

"Oh slag." He cursed, running to them before things got violent. "Sandy hold up! What's going on!"

The tan mech turned to him with a snarl but the femme beat him to it.

"Dusty? Where's Ratchet. Chrome said that he fell and that he's hurt really bad and this idiotic glitch won't tell me what's going on!"

Any other time and Dusty would have burst out laughing at the look on Sandstorm's face plates as he whipped back to the femme with a snarl.

"Enough, Sandy it's fine." Dusty said gently, realising that this was Nova. "But he's right. You shouldn't have come up here."

"Ratchet is my friend and if he's hurt I'm staying here!" Nova argued hotly, green optics flashing in a similar way to Chrome's and Dusty fought a shudder. "Besides! You sent Chrome away and he'll need a medic right a ways!"

Dusty did cringe at the reminder. He hadn't thought of it that way…

"You have a point." He muttered.

"What?! Dusty you can't let here stay! Copper will blow a fuse!"

"He's already mad that we let Ratchet stick around and he'll be fragged when he realised how many royals are already here. One more won't make a difference." Dusty said, glancing at Sandstorm to see the mech's armor relax.

"**Dusty: Two spark signatures detected."** Omega interrupted and Dusty wiped around to stare at the drilling platform.

"What?" Sandy asked.

"Sterling found him." Dusty said before once again bolting for the Omega. **"Mechs! Sterling's with Ratchet and they're both still functional!"**

Howls and cheers filled the comm as Dusty scrambled into the cab. It was only when the door didn't close that he spun around to see the femme directly behind him at an uncomfortably close distance.

"What are you-"

"If you saw the scans would you know what they mean?" Nova snapped, servos on hips. She looked just like his mate when she was in a mood and knowing the safest thing to do, he backed down.

"Just don't touch anything." He muttered. "Omega, you mind her being here?"

"Negative."

"Can you get scans of them?" Nova asked, glancing around in awe.

"Affirmative but poor quality." Vector replied, his voice coming from all around them.

"If you have anything I might be able to get something out of it." Nova replied. The screens with the cameras minimized and another one opened. Coding starting filling it and Dusty scowled. She was right, he didn't understand a glyph of it.

But judging by the look of horror and the way she covered her mouth with trembling servos, the femme did.

"What's it say." Dusty demanded, keeping his voice low despite the spike of fear that worked its way through his spark.

"Their core temperatures are too high." She whispered. "Far too high. The one is high enough to be causing internal damage."

"Can you tell who?" Dusty asked.

"No. Both sparks are too weak. But the other has horrify damage to his frame." Nova continued, her voice cracking. "There is almost no energon circulation in his legs from the waist down. I… I can't tell anything else. The scans aren't powerful enough. "

"Oh Primus, that has to be Ratchet." Dusty hissed under his breath but Nova heard and spun to him in shock.

"What?"

"Fall damage. I can almost guarantee it." Dusty continued, avoiding her piercing gaze.

"Can Chrome…?" Nova trailed off with a choking sob.

"Chrome can fix anything." Dusty assured her, trying to believe it himself. "Chrome will put them both back together in no time. Come on, let's get out of here."

Hesitantly, he placed a servo on her arm to guide her out of the cab, glancing back at the monitors.

"**How far?"** He asked Omega over the comm.

"**Half joor."** He replied.

"Primus I hope we make it." Dusty mumbled, taking a deep vent and letting it out with a groan.

But his vents seized up with the weak smell of selion.

"Stop the drill!" Dusty yelled just as there was a sudden downdraft of air. He didn't even thing twice as he grabbed Nova, throwing her against the base of the cab and crouched over her as she gasped in surprise.

The roar of an explosion engulfed them with a deafening boom.

xxXXxx

"Stop the drill!"

Sandstorm whipped around in horror at Dusty's yell. Moments later a massive fireball exploded out from under the Omega, engulfing Dusty, the femme and the platform.

His spark stopped when the fire died out and he didn't dare move, expecting the worse as the royal behind him and Ironlock panicked, running around and yelling frantically.

Carbon had abandoned his load, scrap metal strewn across the plateau as he transformed and bolted for the Omega with a yell.

"You think…?" Ironlock breathed quietly, thick armor flaring as he took a step in their direction. Sandstorm jerked his helm.

"No. They can't be." He assured the grey mech, trying to believe himself. "They- they can't be. Ratchet and Sterling are counting on them. They have to be alright."

He was so focused on the scene before him he nearly jumped out of his armor when a slim servo brushed against his bracer. One of the royals.

"What!" Sandstorm spat, armor flaring dramatically as he tore his gaze away from horrible scene. The royal jumped back, shifting nervously as bright green armor flared.

"I uh… I couldn't help but overhear-"

Ironlock barked a harsh laugh and the royal glanced at him nervously.

"One of the mech's designations is Ratchet?" The mech continued.

"What about it." Sandstorm demanded.

"Ratchet as is… as in Avalon's creation?"

Sandstorm staggered back a step like he had been sucker punched. And in a way he had.

"Ratchet's… that mech's creation?" Ironlock stammered, the same look of dumb shock on his faceplates.

"Bright yellow with gold optics? Yeah, that's Avalon's mechling. He disappeared a metacycle and a half ago apparently." The mech continued, unaware of how dangerous the situation had become.

"You're lying!" Sandstorm spat, advancing a step and making the mech scramble back. "There's no way in _Pit _Ratchet's that monster's creation!"

"But his optics Sandy." Ironlock whispered in shock. "I… I never thought of it. Where would he have gotten those gold optics."

But Sandstorm shook his helm again, refusing to believe that the mech he had started calling friend, and in his helm, brother, was that- that- monster's spawn.

"What's going on!"

Sandstorm wiped around to see Dusty standing a few feet away, soot streaking his red armor but otherwise undamaged. The femme was in a similar state but badly shaken judging by the way she was clinging to Carbon's bracer.

"Whose Ratchet's sire?" Sandstorm asked, refusing to admit that his voice shook.

Dusty gave him a confused look but the femme visibly flinched, pressing the side of her faceplates into Carbon's arm. Dusty saw and turned to her in confusion before back to Sandstorm.

"What does it matter?" He asked.

"Because that mech just said that Avalon is his sire." Sandstorm hissed quietly. Dusty took a step back in shock before turning to the femme.

"Nova." He said firmly and the femme released a frame rattling sob. "Nova, is that true?"

"Dusty, she's scared out of her processor-" Carbon started to say as Nova pressed farther into his side. But Dusty abruptly grabber her bracer, jerking her around to face him.

"Who's his sire!" He barked into her faceplates. He instantly realised what he had done and jumped back as Carbon swung at him with a snarl but his optics had filled with hate.

"He's right." Nova whispered, tears streaming down her faceplates as Carbon gently wrapped an arm around her protectively and shot Dusty a murderous look. "Avalon's his sire."

Dusty snarled savagely as he turned away, trembling with rage that Sandstorm had only seen once.

"Dusty please!" Nova called out, pulling free of Carbon and reaching for the red mech. "He has nothing to do with Avalon, please Dusty you have to help him still!"

"Help him?" Dust hissed, optics flashing a dangerous shade of pink. "Help the spawn of that monster?!"

"He has nothing to do with Avalon." Nova repeated desperately, tears still streaming down her faceplates.

"I want _nothing_ to do with that mech." Dusty hissed. "He can rot down there just like all the others he's sent down there."

Now it was Sandstorm's turn to snarl with rage.

"How dare you leave him like that!" He roared, charging forward to roughly shove Dusty back a step. "You gave me _Pit_ and back for even _thinking_ of harming that mech!"

"That was before we knew who he was!" Dusty shot back, armor bristling. "How many of _your _friends and family has he ordered terminated!"

"My sire," Sandstorm hissed, getting well into the other mech's personal space. "terminated from selion poisoning, and my carrier offlined three orns later. My brother was shot in front of me because some glitch was spreading rumors that he knew how to read. I attacked and nearly terminated my foremech in Tarn! I ripped his throat out because he ordered injured mechs to be left behind when the mine collapsed because they were from Kaon and he thought they were _less _then bait-metal!"

"Then you have every reason to hate Avalon and his spawn as much as I do." Dusty snarled.

"You told me yourself that you didn't care where he came from." Sandstorm shot back. "You finally willing to admit you were wrong?"

"Yes." Dusty spat. "I was wrong. I should never have let him stay. There. You happy?"

"Only when I get him out." Sandstorm snarled. "And seeing as you're going to sit on your aft and do nothing, just like all my other formechs, I guess I better go get him myself."

Without another word he stormed off toward the huge Omega.

"Are you through yet!" he barked, anger clouding the fact that the Omega could step on him like an insecticon if he wanted to.

"Intersected natural made tunnel."

"That will be it. Get me down there." He ordered.

"Access to shaft under platform." Omega responded and Sandstorm instantly changed his direction. He had his blade out in a nano-klick when someone grabbed his shoulder guard and Carbon winced slightly as the razor sharp edge bit into his arm.

"You'll need someone to handle Sterling." He said simply, releasing Sandstorm's wrist from where he keep the blade from sinking farther into his arm.

"Sorry." Sandstorm mumbled as he retracted the blade and followed Carbon.

"Forget it." Carbon replied gruffly, ignoring the small trickle of energon dripping down his arm as he walked toward the shaft edge. "It's the least of our worries."

Both mechs hesitated as they got closer to the edge of the massive pit and the wall of smooth metal that lined the shaft. A moment later part of the metal slid away and Sandstorm swallowed his spark.

"Sweet Primus that's high." He mumbled, staring at the yawning black hole. "How the frag are we supposed to get down!"

"I can help with that. And getting Ratchet out."

Both mechs wiped around, then down, to see a very small, and young, mechling standing before them. His blue optics burned with fierce determination as he clenched his servos as his side.

"Designation Windcharger." He said in a firm voice. "I'm an outlier and owe Ratchet my brother's life when a semi lost control and flipped onto him. Ratchet made sure he got medical attention even though he was a minibot. I have magnetic warping abilities that I have yet to reach my limits on that I have been practising for the last four groons while my brother recovered. I want to help."

Sandstorm and Carbon exchanged glances before Carbon gestured to the shaft.

"Can you get all three of us down, then a critically injured mech and other my size back up?" He asked.

"Yes." Windcharger said firmly, standing his ground despite barely making it to Sandstorm's kneebolts.

"What the slag. We're all gonna terminate for this stunt anyways." Carbon said with a shrug. "Have at it."

The minibot nodded before walking toward the edge. Sandstorm skipped a vent when the mech hesitated just a moment before easily stepping out into thin air. The mech hovered there, the air around his servos warping slight.

"Coming?" He asked.

"You first." Sandstorm said, taking a step back.

"Me?! Why me!" Carbon demanded, spinning on the smaller mech.

"Because you weigh three times as much as me! If he can hold you he can hold us!" Sandstorm said with a huff. Carbon scowled before turning and stalking out into open air. He dropped a few inches before hovering back up to the same level as the mini.

"You're next Twitch." Carbon called with a smirk. Sandstorm shot him a dark look before taking a deep vent, and walking out onto nothing.

ooOOoo

"I am _so_ gonna be sick." Sandstorm whimpered, bent double and venting hard as he tried to settle the rolling sensation in his tanks.

"You said to go fast." Windcharger said, shaking his arms out.

"I said fast, not free fall!" Sandy snapped glaring the minibot.

"Shut up!" Carbon hissed, crouched in a defensive positon as he scanned the area. "You two will get Ratchet, I'll take care of Sterling."

"What did you mean, take care of Sterling?" Sandy asked quietly, glancing around the fire blacked metal.

"His coding will be running full power." Carbon explained, walking over to where part of the tunnel had collapsed.

"That hunter coding slag?" Sandstorm asked nervously.

"That's the stuff." Carbon replied with a grimace. "He won't calm down till he terminates something."

"So what, he'll be unconscious? For a fire ball that big there would have to be a pit load of selion down here." Sandy said. "They'll both be in stasis."

"Except his coding also keeps him from sensing selion." Carbon added grimly, lowering his voice.

"You're kidding me." Sandstorm said, also lowering his voice. Carbon glanced back at him and shook his helm, red optics dark with worry.

"There's a gap here. Come on." Carbon ordered and Sandstorm slunk after him. They both walked into the rest of the tunnel, the walls, floor and ceiling only having the slightest marks of fire.

"There!" Sandstorm cried out, detecting the barely there spark pulse moments before he saw the mass of shredded plating and energon off to the side. Sandstorm took a step forward only to be shoved forward by Carbon.

A deafening shriek ripped thought the air and Sandstorm rolled onto his back to see Carbon pinned to the ground, Sterling straddling the bigger mech and the biggest, most evil looking blade Sandstorm had ever seen inches from Carbon's chassis as Sterling tried to impale the mech. Windcharger was staring at them in horror from a few feet away.

"Get Ratchet!" Carbon barked. "I'll deal with Sterling!"

Sandstorm hesitated just a moment but then Windcharger extended his arm. Sterling was ripped from Carbon and thrown down the tunnel, that wicked blade sliding from his grip to land a few feet away from Sterling. The silver mech was instantly back on his peds going after the blade.

"Go!" Carbon barked as he dove for Sterling. Sandstorm scrambled to his peds and bolted to Ratchet. And nearly purged.

What was left of the mech was a shredded, mangled, torn apart mess. He was barely recognisable and only his bright yellow paint gave him away. A few feet away he heard Windcharger purge his tanks and Sandstorm swallowed the taste of half-processed energon back down.

"I'm no medic, but I doubt you want to move him at all." Sandstorm said quietly, flinching when a roar shook the tunnel. Whether it was Sterling or Carbon, he didn't wait to find out. "Can you keep him level?"

"Yes." Windcharger replied after a moment as he scrambled back over. Once again he extended his servo, this time palm up and Sandstorm watched in fascination as Ratchet started to lift off the ground. As soon as he was airborne Sandstorm gasped in horror at the amount of energon that was still leaking from the gaping wound in his back.

"Carbon!" Sandstorm called, turning to see Carbon pinning Sterling in a choke hold. The blade was a few feet away, buried point first into the ground and energon on the blade. Fresh stuff.

"Give… me… a klick!" Carbon grunted, tightening his brutal grip on Sterling. The silver mech bucked, trying to get his arms free but after a moment his optics went dark and the mech went limp. Carbon caught him before gently lowering Sterling to the ground.

"Lets get out of here." Carbon growled, walking around Sterling to yank the blade from the ground. For just a moment Sandstorm though he would impale Sterling but instead stabbed the tip into the ground close to his helm.

"What about Sterling?" Sandstorm asked.

"Not a chance. He's to dangerous to bring back up top. That thing's still functional of his coding is still functional." Carbon said, his voice hard. "He'll come up when it's terminated."

"You mean it's still down here?!" Sandstorm yelled.

As though in answer to his demand, a deafening shriek ripped through the air and Sterling groaned weakly, slowly getting his servos back under him.

"Oh slag." Sandstorm growled before he bolted after Carbon back to Windcharger and Ratchet. Just as that horrible weightless sensation over took as the mech started manipulating those magnets, he could have sworn he saw something long and silver move in the shadows.

* * *

**No Sterling isn't going to die! He's just a little crazy and dangerous right now... A side note (wow i make a lot of those) about Sterling attacking Carbon despite that urge to protect his gang. At that point, he didn't know what the heck was going on, only that Ratchet is hurt badly and that there was something trying to kill them. Basically his coding was to strong in that whatever went after Ratchet was going to try and kill him and therefore needed to die. Hence why he was originally aiming for Sandstorm and Carbon shoved him out of the way.  
**

**And there we go. They finally got Ratch out of there. Next chapter Axil rejoins the party in his own way and we'll see what happened from there. **

**See you all next week i hope!**

**2211Nighthawk**


	24. Triumphant

**Nice! Two chapters in two weeks! Ha. Hopefully on a roll now. We'll see. **

**So i finished the 200th review oneshot, it's called Drunken Dare and stars Triplechangerspeeder1's OCs. Check it out, Jazz tells them its impossible to get High Command drunk.**

**Guest: yeah, this will defiantly complicate things a bit. But everything will work on in the end.**

**Graceful-rain: Yes he's an idiot. But then again if you find out your best friend's dad is that guy that makes your live a living hell, you'd be pretty fragged off as well. But that's beside the point. He's still an idiot. And yeah, Sandy is being protective. **

**Child of Jon snow: Yeah, he and Axil are pretty close. He's getting closer with everyone. At least no none hates him now. **

**Skyice98: Yeah, he will eventually. But he's mad right now and everyone has to have some space to blow off steam.**

**Canikostar99: Well, Sandy **_**did **_**nearly take his helm off. And yeah, this is gonna go sour really fast. The gangs gonna be pretty split on this. Avalon's not done with Ratchet yet, don't worry there's gonna be a mess coming up. **

**InterstellerGazer: Yeah, I'm happy with how i got Sterling down there. And it gave me a chance to torture *cough* play! with his personality some more. **

**Ok, so i went and channeled my inner Decepticon again. So apparently, not only do i have to warn about torture, but it involves eyes and that makes me even more squeamish.**

**EDIT**

**kay so i did a minor screw up, if you didn't notice great if you did, oops on my behalf. So i went and fixed it. **

* * *

Two cycles ago

xxXXxx

Axil onlined his optics with a low groan. His frame burned from the beating he had just gotten before losing consciousness. Weakly he pulled at the restraints holding him down and realised that he was strapped to a table. He had already tried to comm Dusty but his comm was too damaged. Shifting against the straps, he quietly realised that they were metal brackets and that he didn't stand a chance of trying to break free.

While the two Elite Guards had beaten him senseless, they had left his helm alone other than the initial blow that had knocked him unconscious. Wincing slightly he managed to look around the room he was in. Plain steel walls and ceiling with rust streaks running down from one of the corners. He thought he could see a door but he couldn't turn his helm far enough.

At that moment a door did slid open and Axil tensed, not knowing what to expect.

The two Elite Guards were back. The shortest of the pair remained by the door with his arms crossed while the first mech walked to a bad spot just by his helm where Axil could only see him if he craned his neck to the side. Ripsaw, Captain of the Elite Guard. The mech had a brutal reputation for his… violent… methods. Axil knew of a lot of mechs that had 'disappeared' and Ripsaw was often mentioned in the same sentence.

"Bout time you onlined." Ripsaw said, a brutal looking mech with similar jagged armor to Sandstorm. "Thought we'd hit you too hard."

"What do you want." Axil spat, armor flaring as much as possible considering he was flat on his back and that broken plates dug into his protoform.

"Nothing." The mech said with a smirk. It caught Axil completely off guard.

"What?"

"Oh no. We want to use you to teach a mech a lesson." Ripsaw continued with a savage grin as he pulled a bottle of liquid from subspace.

"What are you talking about." Axil demanded, fear working its way through his systems as the mech walked around to his other side. Franticly Axil twisted to keep him in sight as he set the glass bottle on the table directly in his line of sight.

Hydrofluoric acid.

He had subconsciously mouthed the words before he realised it and the Elite Guard barked a laugh.

"So the miner can read." He said with a grin. "I didn't think you could teach slaves new tricks."

Axil snarled at the comment but his optics remained locked on the acid. He heard the other Guard move and he snapped his helm around to try and keep track of both mechs.

"I vote we teach him a new trick." The second mech sneered, subspacing a thin metal rod and slapped it against his servo. Axil strained against the brackets again but they were as solid as before. "I heard the only way to teach a slave was to beat it into them. Make them remember the pain."

"Oh, there will be a lot of that." Ripsaw said with a cruel laugh and Axil stiffened as his gaze snapped back to the black mech.

Abruptly the other Guard grabbed his helm, forcing him to look up at the ceiling. Axil cursed, fighting to jerk his helm free but the mech's blunt digits tightened painfully and he stilled.

"Do us a favor and don't move." Ripsaw said and Axil snarled as the Guard's servo gripped his jaw.

The only warning he had was a flash of that metal rod before it was buried in his optic. His vision shatter and Axil screamed in pain as the glass lenses broke, the metal spike driving more glass and delicate gears into the socket. He bucked against the restraints, trying to get his helm free from the spike grinding into his optical socket. His processor was still reeling when Ripsaw jerked the spike free and drove it into his other optic. He couldn't even scream again as the second wave of agony ripped through him.

"Primus, that does make a mess." The other mech mumbled as Axil heaved for air, the pain making his senses reel and his systems burn as energon streamed down his faceplates and into his mouth, choking him.

"And it's gonna get even messier. Don't get this stuff on your servos. It will take more than the paint off."

Through the black agony Axil heard Ripsaw unscrew the lid of a container. This time he had some warning and managed to brace himself before the pain tripled.

Again he screamed as the acid was poured across his faceplates, burning though his protoform to hit the circuitry. He bucked again, jerking against the brackets with a new level of desperation.

"Keep his helm still! Fraggit!" Ripsaw spat as Axil continued to fight as much as he could. He was rewarded when the mech holding his helm suddenly released him with a sharp yell of pain. Axil immediately tipped his helm to the side, rubbing his faceplates on his shoulder guard, anything to get the stuff out of his optics!

"You glitch! I told you not to get that stuff on you!" Ripsaw continued with harsh laugh. Axil ignored them, trying to cycle air and stay conscious. The acid was on his shoulder guard but it was nothing compared the mass of fire that engulfed his helm.

"The glitch moved, fraggit that hurt." The other mech said and suddenly servos where gripping his helm again. Axil struggled again but even motion sent white hot pain though his systems as he panted for air. The acid came again and another scream ripped from this throat as the stuff worked its way deeper and deeper into his optical sockets and protoform. The stuff was poured into his optics again-

-and he jerked upright with a pained cry, his faceplates burning. Axil lifted his servo to try and claw the acid away only for something to pull at his bracer. He tried to jerk free of whatever was holding him only for strong servos to catch his bracers.

"Axil Axil! It's ok, you're safe!" Chrome's voice hit his audios and he stopped struggling, his frame trembling. "You're in the medbay."

"Why can't I see?" Axil asked in a weak, trembling voice and his servo moving to pull at whatever was tangled in his bracer.

"Don't play with that, it's an IV line. It's pumping minerals back into your frame so you can re-grow your protoform." Chrome said. "Primus they sure did a good one on you."

"Chrome-"

"Hey, Sandy's been waiting for you to come back online, we've all been worried sick about you." Chrome continued. "For a while I didn't know if you would make it-"

"Chrome I can't see!" Axil interrupted with a weak cry. "Why can't I see!"

Chrome was silent and it terrified Axil. Desperately he twisted his servo around to grab onto Chrome's bracer so that he knew the medic hadn't left.

"Chrome…" Axil begged again, his grip tightening.

"It will be a while before I can get the replacement parts." Chrome said after a moment. "Things have been-"

The unmistakable roar of Carbon's engine filled the medbay and Axil stiffened, the sound far louder then he remembered. Chrome ripped free of his grasp and he nearly panicked, reaching after the medic only to come up empty-servo. An alone in the dark.

"Sandy go!" Chrome barked as the boors slid open with a bang that made the dark grey mech jump. An EM field, Sandstorm's, brushed against him and he flinched before extending his own toward the tan mech.

"How ya doing fragger?" Sandstorm asked as the berth shifted. Something pressed against his legs and a nano-klick later he realised that Sandstorm was sitting beside him on the berth. A servo pressed against his bracer and Axil let him despite the pain it caused.

"What's going on?" Axil asked instead, trying to figure out what was happening. Judging from Chrome's frantic yelling and the three unknown spark signatures he had no idea. But then the doors burst open again and the stench of energon and burnt metal filled the air along with the sound of wet heaving vents and Chrome's frantic orders.

Axil tensed, blind faceplates wiping toward the cursing and frantic sounds and he shot a servo out to grab Sandstorm's shoulder guard.

"What's going on!" He hissed, turning back to Sandy. The mech hissed a sharp intake and Axil tensed again as the sound of a spark monitor hit his audios. It was far too slow and weak to be healthy. "Who's hurt."

"Ratchet fell last orn." Sandy said quietly.

"What?! Is he alright?!" Axil demanded.

"No." Sandy said quietly. "No he's not."

At that moment the scream of the spark monitor flat lining ripped through the medbay and Chrome swore.

xxXXxx

Chrome shot out of his chair when Axil cried out, the mech jerking upright before snagging the IV line and panicking. Chrome bolted over, grabbing Axil's arms before he could hurt himself or rip those precious fluids free.

"Axil Axil! It's ok, you're safe!" Chrome barked, gently easing Axil's servos down and away from his faceplates. "You're in the medbay."

"Why can't I see?" Axil asked weakly, moving a servo to pull at the IV line.

"Don't play with that, it's an IV line. It's pumping minerals back into your frame so you can re-grow your protoform." Chrome explained, gently freeing the thin tubing from Axil's servos. "Primus they sure did a good one on you."

"Chrome-"

"Hey, Sandy's been waiting for you to come back online, we've all been worried sick about you." He continued, deliberately ignoring the question. "For a while I didn't know if you would make it-"

"Chrome I can't see!" Axil interrupted with a sob. "Why can't I see!"

Chrome opened his mouth to say something then paused, closing it again silently. Axil suddenly twisted his arm free, grabbing Chrome's bracer with desperate strength.

"Chrome…" Axil asked weakly.

"It will be a while before I can get the replacement parts." Chrome lied. "Things have been-"

**"Chrome! We got Ratchet and he's not gonna last much longer!"** Carbon barked into the comm as Chrome heard the black mech's engine come up the road. Chrome jerked out of Axil's grasp as he wiped toward the door in time to see Carbon screech to a stop. Sandstorm burst through the door, then froze when he saw Axil sitting up.

"Sandy go!" Chrome barked, pointing at the mech as he ran outside. Nova and a minibot he didn't recognise were in the mech's box and Chrome froze when he saw what was left of Ratchet. "Oh Primus…" He breathed.

He already knew just from looking that Ratchet's legs would need to be amputated at the hips joints. They were a shredded, mangle mess of acid burnt metal and broken plates. His wrist looked like it was broken and what was left of his armor was covered in scuffs and energon. Shifting slightly he saw the gaping wound in the mech's back that looked like something had tried to punch though him while the wet heaving sound of his flooded vents filled the air. Just resting a servo on the mech's plating was enough for him to know that he far too hot to be safe and that selion had no doubt gotten to him.

Nova was covered in energon, tears streaming down her faceplates as she continued to seal torn lines in the mech's frame with servos that were shaking far too much to be safe.

"Chrome what's- oh Primus!" Focus sputtered and Chrome didn't even spare a glance at the mech.

"Get him inside now!" Chrome yelled and the minibot stood up. Chrome turned to him to demand what he was doing when Ratchet rose a few inches out of the box. Magnetic field he identified.

"Good, just get him inside." Chrome ordered, jumping out of the box. "Focus help her!"

"Yeah- yeah." The pale green royal sputtered before moving forward. Chrome shoved the doors open before they even had a chance to register his presence.

"Get him on a table, Focus you with me still?" Chrome barked, gesturing toward the steel table as he glanced back at the apprentice.

"Yeah." Focus stammered, releasing Nova for Carbon to wrap a supportive arm around before running to Chrome's side. The minibot had gently set Ratchet on his side on the table before backing off out of the way, optics full of concern.

"Templating is in the cupboard. Get a syphon set up to try and drain his vents, Sandy get over here and help me get his armor off!" Chrome barked as he subspaced the jar of Prexilin. He hesitated just a moment. He didn't know how bad the selion had gotten to Ratchet but finally he filled what he hoped wasn't too much. By then Sandstorm had managed to get Ratchet's armor off to expose the badly bruised and cut protoform. "Get that syphon set up!"

"Got it!" Focus replied, moving to Chrome's side with the thin tubing. Chrome snatched it from him before gently inserting it into one of Ratchet's slit-like vents. Immediately energon started to flow form the tube and drain into a pail he shoved under the berth for the moment. The wet heaving sound slowed but so did his spark pulse.

"Energon drips are in the cupboards, get two." Chrome continued, reaching over Ratchet to grab the lines for the monitors. Spark pulse was too weak, energon pressure was too low, core temperature was far too high, and his processor and vital systems were starting to shut down.

Focus handed him the IV's and Chrome quickly set them up, hissing in both annoyance and relief when energon started to pour from the open wounds.

"Chrome, he's losing so much energon." Focus said quietly.

"At least he is leaking. Means his fuel pump's still functional, thank Primus." Chrome replied, sealing a fuel lien that had burst from the sudden increase of energon. "Fraggit fraggit, why the pit did that thing have to try and climb into him."

"What?!" Focus sputtered, rearing back in horror with a shocked look on his faceplates. Chrome had the decency to wince before refocusing on Ratchet.

"It was working it's way to his fuel tanks." Chrome replied. "They're attracted to energon. If that thing had breached his tanks he wouldn't still be functional."

Focus reached out to keep clamping lines but hesitated, his servos trembling badly. At that moment the mech's spark guttered and the spark monitor screamed.

"Fraggin spawn of glitch!" Chrome spat as two long prongs extended from his wrists. Running on pure instinct he stabbed them into the mech's chassis, one on either side of his spark chamber. The electrical current shot through his spark chamber and the Ratchet jerked.

Chrome's optics shot back up to the monitor to once again see a spark pulse. It was weak and erratic but it was there.

"Something's wrong."

Chrome's own spark nearly stopped at Focus' mumbled words and he snapped back to the royal with his armor flared.

"What are you talking about." Chrome demanded, servos still moving to seal fluid lines.

"His processor." Focus mumbled. "Somethings wrong with it."

Chrome's gaze snapped back to the monitors in time to see Ratchet's processor take another dive before levelling out.

"He's crashing." Chrome said, his own processor spinning. "Why the frag is he crashing. It's like he's trying to-"

Chrome cut himself off with a sharp intake. He'd never had to worry about that before Dusty and Azure had their sparkling. Everyone was long in their adult frames. Fearing the worse, he accesses the few files that Azure had copied for his own records. Pixel had shown the same symptoms. She hadn't been offlining in the processes but it was the same symptoms.

"When was the last time he was upgraded?" Chrome demanded.

"I- I don't… know." Focus stammered, glancing at Chrome in confusion.

"Two metacycles ago."

Chrome and Focus spun to see Nova watching them. She'd cleaned up but was still trembling.

"Two metacycles ago I think. He was so excited to be able to legally drink high-grade." She said.

"That glitch!" Chrome spat, slamming a fist onto the table in anger and annoyance.

"What!" Focus demanded, jumping at the loud crash.

"I've done enough scans on that mech's spark, he should have been upgraded again almost a groon ago!" Chrome hissed.

"What does that mean?" Focus asked hesitantly.

"Forget about his frame, just keep his spark from going out again. I need to make a call." Chrome ordered as he subspaced a rag to get the worst of the fluids off his servos. He was in his office before the other two realised it and opened a comm.

**"Chrome I'm busy I don't have time for you."** Arachnid snarled, in a worse mood than usual. **"Some glitch opened his mouth and Enforcers are gonna be crawling all over this place-"**

**"I need an MTO frame." ** Chrome interrupted.

**"What are you talking about? Made to order frames are hard to come by-"**

**"Dont give me that slag Arachnid, I know you can get one!"** Chrome spat.

The line was silent and the medic winced as he realised his error.

**"Speak like that to me every again and I will rip your spark out and make you eat it."**Arachnid snarled in a dangerous voice. **"Is that clear."**

**"Understood." **Chrome replied, waiting for Arachnid to speak before daring to say anything.

**"What about an MTO frame." **Arachnid asked after a moment.

**"Ratchet's been attacked by a driller and his spark's right in the final stages of a full systems backup."** Chrome explained.

**"He need to be upgraded?"**

**"He needed to be upgraded three groons ago."** Chrome clarified.

**"Those frames ain't cheap." **Arachnid said.

**"He'll terminate without one. His spark is already rejecting his frame." ** Chrome continued. **"Not that is frame is even in any condition to support a spark."**

**"Pity, I liked Ratchet. He was cute. I love it when mechs are scared sparkless of me." **Arachnid purred.

**"Arachnid, I _need_ that frame."** Chrome stressed.

**"It will cost you. Flatline can use some help stripping some mechs when I get done with them." **Arachnid continued and Chrome shuddered. He'd been forced to work off a few emergency purchases. Enough to scar a mech for a very long time.

**"Just get me the frame."**

**"You know I don't do anything without partial payment first."**

**"What do you want." **Chrome demanded, fearing the worse.

**"What's _left_ of his frame." **Arachnid said. **"He's still functional so some of his systems are obviously till running. He's an Elite and his parts will reflect that."**

**"His frame is slagged. You'll hardly get anything out of it."** Chrome warned.

**"I'll take my chances. Whatever I don't earn I'll charge you." **Arachnid replied.

**"Fine. But I need that frame now."**

**"Send his schematics and I'll get on it."**

She cut the comm and Chrome vented a sigh of relief. He quickly flared, then settled his armor in a shake before walking back out.

"What's going on." Focus asked when he saw Chrome.

"Frame's on its way. We just have to keep his spark from going out." Chrome said before straightening and jumping back into the mess that _his _apprentice.

xxXXxx

Chrome sat on the edge of the chair, helm cradled in his servos, elbow joints digging into his thighs as he listened to the weak pulse of the monitors. He'd finally made Nova and Focus go home, saying he could handle the transfer and that the less mechs around the better. He didn't say that it was because if Arachnid saw anyone but him in the medbay she'd bolt and more than likely have someone terminate everyone inside.

With a groan, he hadn't recharged in two orns, he sat up and leaned back against the chair and winced as his back popped quietly. Glancing tiredly over his shoulder guard he shot a quick scan at Axil. The mech was deep in recharge, a little assemic ensuring he stayed in recharge till things calmed down.

Just thinking about Axil made him wince. How the frag was he supposed to tell the mech was going to be blind for the rest of his suddenly very short life. The dark turn of thoughts had him glancing back at Ratchet.

The apprentice was on full life support trying to keep his spark stable as his frame continued to shut down. With another groan he stood up and gasped sharply as his back popped.

"You make my life too complicate ya glitch." He murmured as he watched the monitors. "Why the frag didn't you tell me you were needing an upgrade."

The low rumble of a shuttle caught his attention and he straightened, turning toward the door. A small shuttle landed in front of the doors and Chrome stiffened in a healthy dose of fear as he picked up Arachnid's and Flatline's spark signatures. A third one he didn't recognise came directly from the shuttle.

He turned the lights onto full power instead of the 30% he had them at and waited as the doors slid open. Arachnid was the first in, those spider legs curling over her helm in intimidation. And if that didn't scare him, the fact that shuttle broke apart and a towering mech knelt down did.

"Frag…" Chrome mumbled as the 60 foot mech crouched down and grinned at him.

"Meet Blastoff." Arachnid said simply, gesturing toward the former shuttle. "Just in case you decide to try something stupid again."

Chrome didn't reply to the insult but instead glanced at the heavy duty hover crate Flatline had pulled in behind him.

"You sure it's a match?" He asked.

"Don't insult me twice in one orn Chrome. You're already pushing your luck as is." Arachnid snapped and Chrome flinched, glancing away as he pulled his armor tight against his frame in submission.

"I thought you said you were alone." Flatline growled, shooting a dark look toward Axil as a long knife shot from his bracer.

"I gave him a dose of assemic. He'll be out again for the next 12 joors." Chrome growled, watching the mech carefully. "Elite Guard blinded him."

"And no parts for that?" Arachnid asked in a purr.

"They dumped acid in his optics. There's nothing left." Chrome said and Flatline winced.

"Pity." Arachnid said with a sigh before walking past Chrome to walk around the table Ratchet was in stasis lock on. "So a driller did this to him? I thought they were extinct."

"No, another mech at another mine got attacked by the same one." Chrome said, his spark nearly stopping when Arachnid fingered the coolant tube feeding into Ratchet's chassis that kept his insides from melting. Reaching over, he re-positioned the tube and looked back up at Arachnid as she smirked.

"Flatline already prepped the frame, you just have to transfer his spark." Arachnid continued. "How far into the processes was he?"

"Hs spark had already duplicated his processor and backed up his systems. He never got transferred so he's already reintegrating to his frame." Chrome explained.

"But his frame is near scrap. It won't reintegrate."

"Which is why I needed the MTO frame." Chrome said. "It's the only chance he has."

Arachnid slowly nodded with a knowing look on her features before tipping her helm toward the other table. Chrome spun to see Flatline pull the crate up to the table and hit a panel on the top.

"What's that." Chrome demanded, gesturing toward the frame. "That's too big for him. His spark is already under too much stress he'll never be able to integrate into that thing."

"It will work." Arachnid said lowly, spider legs arching over her helm but Chrome stood his ground.

"That thing's to big, it won't work." He repeated.

"I can bring it back and Ratchet can terminate." Arachnid shot back. Chrome held her purple glare before he had to back down with a sigh.

"You said it's prepped?" Chrome demanded, glaring at Flatline. The slightly shorter mech nodded, that twisted smirk of amusement still on his faceplates.

"Just drop a spark in. Made to Order solider." Flatline said.

"It still has weapons?!" Chrome yelled.

"Course it doesn't you glitch." Arachnid said with a fanged grin. "That costs extra."

Chrome shot her a dark look before scowling at Flatline.

"Then let's get it on the table so I can check it out. I don't trust you." He growled. Flatline made a sweeping bow and backed off when the medic approached the crate.

It was a broad frame that was a good three feet taller than Ratchet's current frame and put him at the same height as Chrome. The thick armor and dense frame would be far more durable and capable of heavy work. If Ratchet's spark was able to integrate into the frame, it would be far more suited to a life underground.

As he gently picked it up, Chrome knew that it had just recently been taken off life-support. The frame was still warm and mobile as he gently laid it on the table. He only had one life support machine so he would have to kick start the frame himself. Risky, but possible.

"With all due respect," He said, glancing at Arachnid. "Get out of my medbay."

Flatline sputtered in surprise while Arachnid chuckled.

"You're the same way Flatline. Do the mech a favor and we'll wait outside." Arachnid said with a low laugh as she turned toward the door. Flatline gave Chrome a murderous look before leaving the bay.

Alone, Chrome let a shudder ripple through his frame as he glanced back. While he had done spark transfers before, the spark was always matched to the frame. Ratchet's spark was barely holding out and with the stress of the transfer plus the fact that the frame was to large, the chances of his spark going out were far too high for comfort. But at the same time, if he didn't try, the mech would terminate on that table in front of him.

"Well, here goes nothing." He mumbled before dragging the table with the frame closer to Ratchet so that he could work.

xxXXxx

Disoriented, half starved, exhausted, covered in energon and dragging a terminated driller behind him, Sterling staggered back out of the shaft. He was leaning heavily on his blade but the wild thrill of victory was still coursing through his systems. Carmine's love was running hot across the bond and sent his systems tingling with what she was hinting at.

"So you are still alive?" Carbon asked, casually leaning against an outcrop a few feet away. Sterling glanced at him, panting hard as he struggled with selion and blinking in the far-to-fraggin-bright light. It was the middle of the night and yet the light from the two moons was enough to send a spike of pain though his processor. Or was that because the thing had slammed him into the wall…

"Yeah… yeah Ah'm… still functional." He said, swaying slightly. Carbon chuckled and walked over to the mech, reaching down to wrap and arm around the dead-weight of the driller and sling the gory trophy over his shoulder guard. The other he wrapped around the silver mech's waist as his legs finally gave out and he stumbled.

"Come one mech, let's head home." Carbon said with a laugh as he helped Sterling down the track back to the road. "Carmine's waiting for you."

"Ha! Ya bet she is!" Sterling said with a wide grin.

"You sorry excuse of a sparkmate." Carbon said with a snort. "You're gonna be in stasis before you even hit the berth."

Sterling snickered as he shook his helm, leaning more and more on Carbon as they navigated the track.

"Primus Ah'm exhausted…"

"Come on, almost at the road and then I'll give you a lift." Carbon said, shaking his helm.

"Yeah yeah yeah... yeah yeah…." Sterling slurred, stumbling. Why the frag was the ground spinning like that…?

Suddenly Carbon was transforming and something knocked his legs out from under him. With a sharp yelp he was falling forward and he hit rough, warm plating. Having his aft hauled around by the mech before, he knew he was in Carbon's box.

"Mah knife an' mah driller." He demanded, shifting to sit up and then changing his mind. At least Carbon wasn't spinning.

"I got them. Just rest already."

"Yeah boss…" Sterling slurred before his systems shut down and he fell into a deep recharge.

* * *

**EH! Everyone's alive and up! So up next, Dusty blows a fuse, Ratchet wakes up, and Sterling struts around like a peacock.**

**Again, check out the one-shot and I'll see you next week I hope. **


	25. Secret

**So i had issues with this chapter, i hope it looks better to you guys then it does to me. Oh well. I got my focus set on the next few chapters where lots of fun things happen. **

**Reviews! I love you guys!**

**Guest: Dusty's still mad but just wait till Ratchet's back on his peds. Things get escalated. **

**Paranoid Prowl: Yep, He's finally awake. Walking will be another problem later on. **

**Jazzilynn Hall:Yeah, Sterling's got some miner pride issues. (pardon the pun ;) And i''m so glad you like it. I'm having a blast writing this thing. **

**Neon: No, just some reporter that opened his big mouth. Focus is to smart to say something like that. **

**Child of Jon snow: Thanks for the catch. I did go back and fix that. And i did make the sunday post. **

**Guest: Don't forget, Chrome already knew, Ratchet accidentally spilled when Sentinel and Orion came calling. But the rest of the gang doesn't. Well, they do know anyways.**

**Something dictionary related: MTO frames i got straight from the IDW universe. In that universe, they were Made To Order solders. As Autobots (or Decepticons) needed more solders, they just popped a spark into an MTO frame and off they go. I have a bit of a different take on that but I'll explain that later on.**

**AutobotGuy710: Yeah, now we deal with Dusty and the gang. **

**Skyice98: Aw, i feel awesome now. I love making people miserable. ;D It makes me smile. **

* * *

Ratchet online far easier than he expected. He felt like a shuttle had landed on his chassis, his spark was throbbing in pain, and someone was in his helm, but the fact that he was online at all was good enough for him.

"Heh. If that's all it takes I think we're doing pretty good." Chrome said, his amusement floating through the hard line connection. Ratchet managed to shift just enough to glance at Chrome sitting beside him. The medic looked exhausted.

"C…C…"

"Don't speak." Chrome cautioned, reaching out to rest a servo on his bracer. "There's a hundred and one other things that you need to work on. Speaking is not once of them."

"_What happened, everything feels…"_ Ratchet hesitated, shuttering his optics to ease the pain in his helm.

"Like you're not doing anything? You're not. I'm keeping most of your systems running manually." Chrome said.

Sharp confusion shot across the connection and Ratchet onlined his optics to watch Chrome.

"You didn't tell me you needed an upgrade." Chrome replied.

"_I… I knew how much it cost to get your armor, there was no way I could afford a new frame." _Ratchet said, regret flooding the connection.

"So you were going to take the risk and hope your spark reintegrated back into that frame." Chrome clarified.

"_It's happened before. Minibots do it all the time."_ Ratchet replied haltingly.

"That nearly cost you your life ya glitch." Chrome snapped. Ratchet flinched but to his shock he didn't move. Panic flooded his processor and Chrome squeezed his arm again.

"Calm down this isn't easy." Chrome growled as Ratchet tried to suck in more air then what his vents were allowing him. "Just focus on venting. Don't worry about anything else."

Again Ratchet shuttered his optics and he felt Chrome nudge his conscious down a string of coding that's Chrome's own presence was manipulating.

"_Here, just vent."_ Chrome's voice echoed in his processor as he switched to speaking across the connection. _"I'm going to back off, remember, just vent."_

Ratchet nodded but felt the coding slip as soon as Chrome started to back off. His vents stopped working entirely and Ratchet went rigid, trying to cycle air.

"_Easy, easy, I got you."_ Chrome said, reaching out to steady the rapidly unravelling coding. Immediately his vents flared open and Ratchet gasped, pain wracking his frame as he coughed. _"Try again."_

Chrome backed off, slower this time and Ratchet felt the instant he had control over his own coding and for a moment he hesitated. But the need to cycle air overpowered his fear and he forced his systems to star cycling the badly needed air.

"_Deeper, you're hyperventilating. You're frame needs more air now than before. Deeper._" Chrome coaxed. Slowly Ratchet figured out how to vent again.

"_There we go, that's the hardest one. Everything else is pretty similar to your old frame._" Chrome continued as he started backing out of Ratchet's processor.

"_Don't!"_

Chrome hesitated.

"Ratchet, you have to do this. I'll tell you everything when you're stronger. You're frame is to big though and it's putting your spark under a lot of stress." Chrome said. "It's taken your spark almost 30 joors just to quiet rejecting the frame. You nearly terminated Ratchet. And then twice more trying to get your spark stable in this frame."

"_Sparks don't reject frames if they're made to the spark."_ Ratchet said, confusion filling the connection again.

"It's an MTO frame." Chrome said after a moment.

"_What?!"_

He lost control of his vents and they seized again.

"Vent!" Chrome barked and Ratchet gasped, once again struggling to get his venting under control. It took a few more stressful klicks before he was cycling air evenly again. "Ratchet I had no choice. Your spark was rejecting your frame and even if it wasn't, it couldn't sustain even a minibot's spark. You never would have made it otherwise."

"_MTO frames are illegal! Chrome Avalon blinded Axil because of me! This is all he needs!" _Ratchet protested.

"Would you have preferred I let you terminate?" Chrome demanded.

"_It's what I deserve! Chrome, any Enforcer sees me and I'll be in the stocks before you can cycle! Avalon will terminate me!"_

"_Ratchet, listen to me. The reason MTO frames are illegal is because mech's use them to change their identities. You needed a frame and that was what was available. There is nothing illegal about a frame upgrade." _ Chrome said firmly. _"Now had I waited another cycle and your spark was fully reintegrated, besides the point you'd have terminated, then it would be illegal. Any medic could see the scaring on your sparkchamber to know it was a forced transfer."_

Ratchet remained silent and Chrome shook his helm, glancing away.

"_Is my sparkchamber still scared?"_

"A little, yes. You can easily claim a rough transfer." Chrome said.

"Do…. Do I have… have red optics?" Ratchet asked in a raspy voice. It was lower than his old voice but it still sounded like him.

Chrome laughed for the first time in what felt like ages.

"Don't move." Chrome said with a smirk. "Your systems haven't quiet calibrated yet. I'm gonna back out now. Remember to vent."

Ratchet nodded weakly before Chrome gently slid his servo under the back of his helm. Slowly his conscious faded from Ratchet's awareness until he felt the weight of his own frame pressing down on his processor.

"Are you alright?" Chrome asked, hesitating.

"Yes." Ratchet said, concentrating on keeping his fuel pump functioning, his vents cycling air, and his own systems running.

"You sure."

"Disconnect already." Ratchet rasped.

Giving him another look, Chrome finally backed out of his processor and disconnected his datacord.

Chrome gone, Ratchet almost skipped a vent as he was nearly overwhelmed.

"I'm ok." Ratchet said before Chrome could say anything. Hesitantly, Chrome backed off and Ratchet shuttered his optics, manually re-writing the coding to work with his new frame.

"Open you're optics." Chrome said a few moments later.

Bright red optics in a broad, strong face stared back at him from the polished sheet of metal and he couldn't help but smirk.

And forgot to cycle air.

He coughed harshly before getting his vents under control again.

"Work on that for now." Chrome said with a smirk.

"Is he awake?" A voice Ratchet hadn't heard in what felt like forever asked.

"Axil?"

"Ha, wow do you ever sound different." The mech said and Ratchet tipped his helm to the side to see Axil walk up. The dark grey mech immediately grabbed the edge of the berth but he was smiling. His dark visor hid the worst of the damage but acid tracks still marred his faceplates and helm. "Chrome told me what happened, that you fell. Primus, I wish I could see what you looked like. Chrome said you had to be online before he'd send me a still shot."

"I'm kinda curious myself." Ratchet said before pausing to remember to vent.

"Vent by yourself for a joor and I'll show you." Chrome said with a smirk.

Ratchet rolled his optics as Axil chuckled.

"How are you doing though?" Ratchet asked, managing to move an arm to brush against Axil's servo. The mech jumped but smirked.

"Helm still hurts but what can you expect from having your optics gouged out." He said with a one sided shrug.

"You to be in a slightly worse mood." Ratchet said before getting a vicious dark look from Chrome.

"Chrome did say it would be a while before I got my optics back…" Axil said quietly trailing off.

Ratchet gave Chrome a dark look right back that said it all.

"Leave the mech alone Axil, you may have been up for a cycle but he can hardly vent on his own." Chrome said, ignoring the dark look

"Chrome, I'm bored out of my processor." Axil whined. "At least let me talk at him."

"Fine. And make sure he vents."

"Give me some credit Chrome." Ratchet objected weakly.

"Vent on your own for the next joor and I'll give you credit." Chrome replied with a scowl. "Now vent."

Ratchet obediently cycled another system full of air and Chrome shot him an amused look.

xxXXxx

"Well well well, aint ya'ah look fo' sore optics." Sterling said with a chuckle as he limped into the medbay.

Chrome whipped around before grinning at the silver mech.

"Thank Primus you are all right." He breathed before subspacing a wrench and chucking it at him. The thing hit him right between the optics and Sterling cursed, clutching his helm.

"Ya idiotic glitch!" Chrome yelled. "If I knew you were going to do that I would have beaten you into stasis myself!"

"Ah kept tha' thing from eatin' Ratch. Don't Ah get points fo' that."

"And you nearly terminated Sandstorm and Carbon in the processes!"

Sterling winced.

"Ow's Ratchet." He asked instead to change the topic.

"Ask him yourself." Chrome said, gesturing toward a grey mech laying on one of the berths. Axil was sitting beside the mech with one leg folded over the other.

"Sterling?" He asked, his helm shooting up to face the silver mech. His visor covered his optics but scaring still extended past the curved black glass. "I heard you were still functional."

Sterling grinned as he walked over to the pair.

"Ya, Ah'm too stubborn tah terminate." Sterling said before glancing at the medium grey mech. The ID and spark signature were slightly different but he still recognised the mech as Ratchet. "Well don't ya look ah bit different from tah last tahm Ah saw ya." He said with a grin, resting a servo on Ratchet's shoulder guard. The mech winced and Sterling was quick to remove it.

"Ya'right?" He demanded, backing off.

"Systems are still recalibrating. Sensitivity's a bit high, that's all." Ratchet said, glancing at Sterling with bright red optics and a smirk. "And I can't last a joor without having to recharge for a bit."

"And I have to keep reminding him to vent." Axil added with grin, tossing what looked like a washer into a container on the berth. Three others were lined up and all held parts of some kind. A larger box was in his lap and Axil was sorting through it.

"Remindin' ya tah vent?" Sterling asked with a grin.

"Something about coding that I don't get." Axil said with a shrug, tossing another washer into a different container.

"His systems, including the coding that keeps his vents going, are used to his other frame." Chrome spoke up. "He'll hyperventilate if he let his coding take over. He's got to re-write his coding to work with this frame."

"Ah." Sterling replied, bobbing his helm in understanding. He'd gone through the same, _very _painful recalibration when he'd had his sensors installed. Almost been as bad as getting the coding spliced into his processor. "But ya doin' alright otherwise?"

"Yeah, just tired." Ratchet replied.

"Good, get some rest then. Ah got tah go check in with Dusty an' then take tha' crystal tah Copper."

"Fraggit, I forgot about that." Chrome said with a grimace. "Hopefully it will cool his engines for a bit. I don't need him anywhere near the medbay."

"Ah'll see ya later then." Sterling said, just barely brushing Ratchet's bracer before clapping Axil on the back.

"Hey Chrome, let me go up with him." Axil begged, glancing at the medic. "Please? I've been going insane."

Chrome shot the miner a dark look before sighing.

"Fine. It will get you out of my circuits for bit anyways."

Sterling watched slightly impressed as Axil easily gathered up the boxes and navigated his way to the counters. He quietly replaced the boxes before turning to Sterling with a grin.

"Let's go." Axil said, walking toward the doors.

Sterling shook his helm before shrugging and following after the mech. He detected an unknown spark signature moments before the doors slid open and froze. Axil jumped back, armor flared in fear as he stumbled. Sterling grabbed his shoulder guard to steady the mech but Axil jerked away from him with a snarl.

"Sterling back off, just give him space!" Chrome ordered and Sterling took a step back, optics darting to the strange femme trembling in the doorway and staring at them in fear with bright gold optics. Her paint shimmered between purple and blue that practically screamed Elite.

"Just just just give me a klick." Axil stammered, trembling, his faceplates constantly shifting between Sterling and the femme.

"Who are you and what do you want." Chrome demanded, walking up beside Sterling with his armor flared to glare at the femme.

"I- I came to see my creation." The femme stammered. "Ratchet. The- the bond snapped. I- I have to see him."

Sterling reared back in surprise but Chrome seemed unfazed.

"He said his bonds with his creators were severed." Chrome growled. The femme flinched before nodding.

"Avalon did sever the bond. But Ratchet and I kept ours. He- he blocked me off but it still existed." The femme continued.

"Avalon?!" Axil stammered, his armor standing on end as he took a step back, backing into the wall. He jumped, glancing behind him before back to the femme.

"Sterling, get him out of here." Chrome ordered and the silver mech nodded.

"Axil, come on. Weh can 'ead up tag teh mine." Sterling said, hesitantly reaching toward the mech. He paused a few inches from Axil's armor and after a moment, the mech stepped forward into his servo. Sterling gently led him outside where the mech visibly relaxed.

"Ya'right?" Sterling asked, keeping his grip gentle on the miner's arm.

"Yeah. Just…" The mech glanced away, jaw set as he rubbed a nervous servo down his arm. Sterling frowned even though the mech couldn't see him and gave Axil's arm a reassuring squeeze.

"Ya beh ok Axil." Sterling assured him. "If Ratchet still 'ad anything tah do with 'is creator, 'ee wouldn't beh 'ere."

"I guess you got a point." Axil mumbled.

"Come on, lets go annoy Dusty." Sterling said, nudging the mech forward.

"I smell energon." Axil said, going rigid again.

"Just tah driller. Ah was gonna show off tah teh others." Sterling said with a grin, his armor flaring slightly in pride.

"It's online?!"

"Pit no." Sterling scoffed, walking away to pick the forty foot creature from where he had dumped it beside the doors. "But Ah want tah show it off."

Axil smirked as he shook his helm.

"You mean Carmine won't let you bring the thing home."

"Tha' too. Come on. It's ah long walk."

xxXXxx

Ratchet stiffened as soon as he sensed his carrier's spark signature and winced when he heard Axil snarl abruptly.

"Sterling back off, just give him space!" Chrome ordered and Ratchet shifted enough to see the medic walk up beside Sterling.

"Just just just give me a klick." Axil said hesitantly backed up against the wall and his armor flared.

"Who are you and what do you want." Chrome demanded, flaring his armor.

"I- I came to see my creation." Mica said hesitantly. "Ratchet. The- the bond snapped. I- I have to see him."

Ratchet winced when he saw Sterling rear back. But she was right. He had noticed it as soon as he had onlined that the bond had snapped. While it hurt, it had nearly been choked off and was nothing he couldn't ignore.

"He said his bonds with his creators were severed." Chrome growled. Mica nodded hesitantly.

"Avalon did sever the bond. But Ratchet and I kept ours. He- he blocked me off but it still existed." She said.

"Avalon?!" Axil stammered and Ratchet hissed quietly as the mech reared back in fear. He backed into the wall and jumped.

"Sterling, get him out of here." Chrome ordered and the silver mech took a step forward. Axil flinched before letting Sterling take his arm.

"Axil, come on. We can head up to the mine." Sterling said quietly before they both left, Sterling gently gripping his arm.

Something activated in his helm and he winced when a comm opened.

"**I can throw her out if you don't want her around." ** Chrome said.

"**No… I figured she'd come."** Ratchet replied after a moment.

"He's functional." Chrome said out loud.

"But the bond-"

"His spark stopped three times. Doesn't surprise me that the bond snapped." Chrome continued, his voice not giving away anything. "He's over there."

Mica glanced nervously at Chrome before sliding past him and into the 'bay. Her gaze slid to him and he forced a smirk.

"Ratchet?" She asked in quiet voice.

"It's been a white Carrier." He replied with faint smile. But he didn't expect her reaction.

"What did they do to you." She stammered, walking over to sit down beside him in the chair Axil had left. Ratchet heard Chrome growl lowly.

"Chrome saved my life Carrier." Ratchet was quick to defend. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him and the gang."

"What happened to you."

"**Do **_**not**_** mention the driller."** Chrome warned.

"Floor panels collapsed and I fell." Ratchet said. "Dusty and the others got me out. I owe them my life."

"Where's your frame."

"It wasn't able to support his spark anymore." Chrome spoke up. "He was also on the middle of re-integrating back into his frame. His frame couldn't support him though and his spark tried to go out."

"What do you mean re-integrate?" Mica asked.

"When a spark needs a frame upgrade, the processor and coding back up to the spark and it starts to sever ties to the frame in preparation for being transferred to a new one." Chrome said. "If a spark doesn't get transferred, it starts to reintegrate back into the frame."

"Why didn't you tell me you were in need of an upgrade?" Mica asked, glancing back at Ratchet.

"Because I'm not begging you for credits." Ratchet said harshly.

"Just as proud as your sire." Mica murmured and Ratchet growled low in his chassis.

"Don't compare me to him." He said. "I am nothing like Avalon."

"Ratchet, I want you to come home." Mica continued unfazed by the hostile spike in the room. "It's too dangerous out here. You said so yourself, you nearly terminated."

"It's not the first time." Ratchet said. "And I'm not leaving just because things get rough."

"It's not safe Ratchet!"

"And I'm in more danger in Iacon!"

Mica sat up straighter, slim armor tightening against her frame.

"What are you talking about." She demanded. Over her shoulder guard, Ratchet saw Chrome gave him a dark look.

"**Be careful what you say Ratchet. She may be your carrier but she's Avalon's mate first."** Chrome said in a low growl.

"It's not important." Ratchet said, glancing away.

"Or course it is. Ratchet's what's going on!"

Ratchet shook his helm.

"I won't get anyone else in trouble because of me." Ratchet replied.

"Ratchet-"

"Can you leave Carrier? Please?" Ratchet asked, avoiding the femme's optics. "I'm tired."

"I…. Yeah. Of course mechling." She said after a moment. He heard her stand up, then the slightest pressure on his bracer.

"Thank you for letting me see him." She said quietly, no doubt to Chrome. "And thank you for taking care of him."

"He's one of us now." Chrome replied, his voice hard. "We watch out for our brothers."

"Of… of course." Mica whispered before the doors slid open, then closed.

Ratchet let a vent escape him as he lost track of his carrier.

"You alright?" Chrome asked, walking over.

"My carrier that I haven't seen since I walked out on my family decided to pop up out of nowhere." Ratchet said with a harsh laugh. "How do you think I'm doing?"

"It wasn't your fault."

Ratchet winced, still not looking at Chrome as he took another raspy vent.

"Why didn't you tell him?" Ratchet countered.

"He's got a groon left if he's lucky." Chrome said. "You think I'm glitched enough to tell him that he doesn't have a chance?"

"He has a right to know."

"I'm not denying that."

"Then why won't you tell him."

"Because I care about him." Chrome replied. "I've know that mech a lot longer then you have Ratchet. I know what's best for him. And don't you dare tell him otherwise."

"Yessir." Ratchet mumbled.

"Good. Let's try sitting up." Chrome said simply.

xxXXxx

Axil froze at the mine entrance. He could feel a fait breeze on his over-sensitive faceplates so he knew that the ventilators were still running despite their known issues. He could hear the others somewhere in the distance and he could hear Sterling's systems running beside him.

"You run loud, you know that?" Axil said offhandedly, turning toward the mech. The silver mech's vents stuttered and Axil again wondered at the strange sound.

"Ah run loud? Mech, Ah'm tah quietest one around 'ere. Cept maybeh Carbon but 'ee's freaky."

"Really?"

"Ya 'earing's sensitive mech. Ya other senses will beh tha' way too." Sterling said with a laugh.

Axil turned his attention back to the ground to just listen. Sterling, the wind, the mine. Sterling took a few steps forward and Axil snapped his helm up to listen to the gravel crunch under the mech's peds turn to the echoing pedsteps of a smooth ground. The driller scraped against the silver mech's plating with every step he took and the sound made Axil's armor crawl.

"Ya comin' oh not?" Sterling asked, his voice thick with amusement.

"Yeah, yeah." Axil mumbled, taking a few cautious steps forward into the smooth mine. Everything changed the instant he did so. The heat of the sun on his plating vanished and the cool air of the mine took it's place. His vents filled with the smell of mine dust and every sound echoed weirdly to the point that it freaked him out a bit.

"Weh can go back." Sterling offered, far too close to him and he jumped.

"No no, this is just…" Axil trailed off, glancing around again. "Off."

"Off?"

"Off." Axil repeated, reaching out to rest a servo on the mine wall to feel the texture. "Different. Can't wait to get my optics back but… this isn't the worse thing ever."

Sterling chuckled again and it echoed off the walls.

"Only ya would enjoy bein' blind Axil." Sterling said. "Only ya."

"I never said was enjoying it, it's just-"

"Odd?"

Axil smirked before starting forward. He knew this place by spark. He could make it.

"Watch it-!"

Axil tripped, shooting a servo out to catch himself before he slammed into the ground. His visor popped loose and he cursed as his still healing frame jarred painfully. There was a crash as Sterling dropped something, probably the driller.

"Ow." Axil hissed painfully, reaching to try and find the visor. The thing was only used every once in a while and the hinges weren't designed for any kind of wear and tear.

A servo ghosted against his shoulder guard and he flinched instantly.

"Easy, just meh." Sterling said quietly, his engine rumbling at a slightly higher pitch then before. Something was pressed into his servo and he recognised the curve of his visor. "Can Ah see?"

Axil smirked humorlessly before glancing up at the mech. He heard Sterling's sharp intake before cursing under his breath. Axil glanced down, sliding the visor back over his damaged faceplates and got back to his peds.

"But Chrome said he could get me new optics so don't get used to the sight." Axil said with a shrug. "I won't trip this time."

"Good." Sterling said but his voice trembled just the slightest. Axil didn't make a comment but once again took the lead down the shaft, feeling each step before he took it.

"I don't have the rest memorized yet." He said once he got to the old cavern.

"Fine bah meh." Sterling said as he moved past Axil. The much cooler temperature of the mine allowed Axil to follow Sterling just by the heat coming off of the mech and the scraping of the driller on his plating.

"Hush fo' ah moment." Sterling said after a moment.

"What." Axil demanded, freezing in place. He heard Sterling shifting around, then silence, then a muffled crash as the driller hit the floor of the mine.

"Spawn of a glitch!" Sandstorm's unmistakable yell rang out and Sterling laughed.

xxXXxx

"Spawn of a glitch!"

Sterling howled with laugher before standing up and facing Axil. The mech was grinning and Sterling reached out to press the cable into his servos.

"Ere. Ah'll 'elp ya down." Sterling said but Axil shook his helm.

"I've been around cables all my life, I don't need optics for this." Axil said before easily sliding down the cable. Sterling watched him land roughly but quickly slid down as well when he saw Sandstorm storming over.

"Axil?!" He demanded in surprise and Sterling deliberately placed himself in front of Axil as the mech stiffened.

"Just give 'em 'is space." Sterling said, giving Sandy a dark look and the mech nodded.

"Is that it?" Sandstorm asked, staring at the driller.

"Tha's tah little pit spawn alright." Sterling said with a grin, reaching down to grab it's helm and pull it up to stretch it out to it's length. Axil stiffened but relaxed after a moment and Sterling couldn't help but puff his armor up even more as Sandstorm gaped at the driller.

"Ugly thing." Sandstorm muttered, optics running the thing's full length. Sterling nodded before slinging it back over his shoulder guard and taking a step toward Axil. The mech instantly was at his side, just behind his shoulder guard.

"Eh, just ah little thing. Big ones are uglier." Sterling replied, walking into the mine.

"They get bigger?!" Sandstorm squawked.

"Pit yes." Dusty said, walking up with a scowl on his faceplates. "That's nothing. The two I saw were both over a hundred feet- Axil?! What are you doing here!"

"Been annoying Chrome too much." Axil said with a shrug, hesitantly took a step forward.

"That took a bit longer then I thought." Dusty said with a half smirk. "He usually kicks me out within a cycle."

"Back to the topic. What do you mean 'the two you saw'?" Sandy demanded.

"Yeah, fraggers got away though." Sterling grumbled darkly as he dumped the driller on the ground again. Sandstorm's gaze snapped to him when Axil jumped.

"How many of those things have you terminated?" Axil asked, settling his armor. The mech was skittish but he hadn't bolted at least.

"Seven." Sterling replied, puffing up with pride again. "Eight now."

"Primus." Sandstorm muttered, shaking his helm.

"Feel better?" Dusty asked with a smirk.

Sterling gave the mech a feral smirk and Dusty rolled his optics.

"What the frag does that have to do with anything?" Sandstorm demanded as the rest of the gang walked over.

"Soon as he terminates what he's hunting his coding goes dormant on it's own." Dusty said.

"And considering that you went after me…?" Sandstorm asked hesitantly.

"Accidents can 'appen." Sterling mumbled, avoiding the tan miner's gaze as he pulled his armor tight against him. To his surprise Axil reached out to him, resting a servo on his shoulder guard.

"You went haywire over Ratchet, who the frag were you protecting." Sandstorm asked with a smirk. Sterling hesitated again and Dusty sighed.

"Me." He said after a moment. "He was protecting me. The mech coming to see if I was still functional came up behind Sterling and surprised him."

Sterling winced, setting his jaw when Sandy turned back to him in horror. Even Axil stepped away from him in alarm.

"Enough about this though, you alright?" Dusty asked, glancing back at Sterling.

The silver mech nodded.

"Ah'm fine." He said honestly. "More importantly, Ratchet's fine."

To his confusion Dusty's optics hardened and he glanced away, his armor flaring slightly in anger before turning away.

"Wha's with 'im." Sterling asked as he watched the mech walk away.

"We found out Avalon is Ratchet's sire." Scrapper spoke up, arms crossed over his chassis.

"So?"

"He wanted to leave Ratchet down there." Sandy said quietly and Sterling turned to him in alarm. "Me and Carbon went after him."

"He wanted to leave Ratchet down there?" Axil asked.

"Primus…" Sterling breathed as the mech abruptly changed directions and stormed toward the entrance to the mine. Sterling tensed as he recognised the mech's ID signature just above the entrance.

Impactor dropped into the mine, staggering slightly and Sterling instantly knew the mech was recovering from a night of partying.

"Where the frag have you been!" Dusty roared and Sterling frowned at his uncharacteristic anger.

"Mech's been AWOL for over a cycle." Sandy replied, giving Sterling a look.

"I've been comming you for the last cycle and all I get is a dead comm." Dusty spat.

"I was hiding from the medic." Impactor replied, gesturing over his shoulder guard back in the general direction of the medbay. "Sounded like the smartest thing to do considering the mood he was in.

"Why the frag did you shut your comm off! We nearly lost mechs and could have used your help!" Dusty yelled.

"What are you talking about." Impactor demanded, his armor flaring slightly.

"Ratchet and Sterling nearly got devoured by a driller and Axil was blinded." Dusty spat.

"Ee didn't know any o' this 'appened?" Sterling demanded at Sandy.

"No." Sandy replied.

"Are they alright?" Impactor asked.

"They're functional." Dusty growled.

"Look, I had other things I had to worry about, I won't shut my comm off next time." Impactor said, armor flaring slightly in annoyance.

"There won't be a next time." Dusty snarled. "Pull that stunt again and you're gone. Is that clear."

"Yes _sir."_ Impactor growled as Dusty turned around and stormed off in to the mine.

"I thought you said he was a decent mech." Impactor growled as Sterling walked over to him.

"Normally 'ee is." Sterling replied, watching the red mech with a dark look.

"What's his problem then."

"Avalon is Ratchet's sire." Sterling said. "Ee just found out."

"Avalon?!"

"Yeah. 'Ee's-"

"Impactor get back to work already! You're not getting paid to stand around!" Dusty yelled making both mechs jump. "Sterling get that thing out of here! It's freaking me out. And get your aft on the road, we need those credits!"

"Yeah boss." Sterling called back before giving Impactor a hopeless shrug. "Do ya self ah favor an' stay out o' 'is platin'. Ya think Chrome can beh scary, 'Ee got nothin' on Dusty."

"Yeah… yeah I just might do that." Impactor muttered before shrugging again and walking off.

* * *

**So Dusty's mad. Meh. He'll get over it.  
**

**Eventually. As yes for all my old followers, Avalon does show up but that comes later and trust me, it's gonna be good. **

**See you all next week! I hope. Got family and Christmas stuff coming up so i have no idea what's going to happen. **


	26. Overload

**Yes! I'm back! Man I am so pumped to be back, that officially sucked. So i hope to get another chapter this year, i probably won't what with one more family gathering, (but then again, i might get a wack load done) and i kinda want to finish a couple short multichapter fics I'm working on. We'll see what i can focus on. **

**229 REVIEWS I love you guys! So reminder! 300th review gets a oneshot! **

**Guest: He'll get over it eventually and yeah, Ratch's feeling a little sorry for himself. Eh, Chrome will beat some sense into him and life will be good. And yes, eventually) he'll start getting more sure of himself and his ability as well as develop that wicked throwing arm. **

**Neon: Till i say so :) yeah he's gonna stay red for at least rest of Apprenticeship and it will come in handy in the next book of The Medical Journals. **

**Paranoid Prowl: Yeah but Dusty's got wicked tunnel vision when it comes to Avalon. A little bit of inside here but he'll tell his life story later on. **

**LGTracy: Yes yes, thank you for reminding me about that and I've worked it in into this chapter and what ever passes for a chapter 27. That has yet to be started... And yes, we get to find out Arachnid's reaction next chapter. **

**Canikostar99: You'll have to get in line. Lets see, Dusty, Chrome, Sterling, Everyone else, you get the point. And not so much as a blatant 'death warrant' more of a 'you do something stupid and someone will pay for it'. That being said, Ratchet started getting to excited and he just might 'accidentally' end up in an 'accident'**

**Skyice98: Thank you**

**Autobotguy710: I'M ALIVE! Yeah, i kinda like her. Very much a 'caught in the middle' issue going on with her. **

**Jazzilynn Hall: No he dosen't...maybe. Lets put it this way, i know EXACTLY what I'm doing with him. **

**Child of Jon snow: yeah pretty much. **

**InterstellerGazer: I'm glad you liked it. Not one of my favorites but it's out now and i get to post this one that IS much better. **

* * *

Axil hummed a tuneless song low under his breath, focusing on counting the wires under his digits. It was a bundle of fourteen wires taped together but spilt into three bundles. The middle bundle always came loose and he easily wiggled it back into place before crimping the connection tighter. He knew he would have to replace it again pretty soon if it kept coming loose but it would hold for now. Reaching over to the left, he easily felt the ice cold air and slight mist coming off the small container of liquid nitrogen he had jury rigged to keep the generator and ventilator from overheating. He didn't touch the frozen metal, knowing full well that if he was lucky, he would burn the sensors right off his digits, if he was unlucky, he would lose his digits entirely. Instead he hovered them a few inches from the freezing surface and was easily able to tell that while the nitrogen was lower than last time, it didn't need to be filled.

Nodding to himself he reach farther to the left and found the main power switch and flipped it on. The generator was the first to fire up with a coughing sputter, and a few nano-klicks later and a solid punch to the side the ventilator started up with a roar. Axil smirked, shaking his helm as he reached for the cover and slid it into place. Careful not to drop any, he started replacing the screws and tightening them one by one.

"Stone blind and you're still the only one able to fix that piece of slag."

Axil cursed as he dropped the last screw in surprise, hearing it bounce off the ground and roll away out of his reach. He scrambled to grab it but missed and he lost where it had gone.

"Sorry, didn't mean to surprise you."

"It's it's fine." Axil stammered, glancing behind him to where he sensed Dusty. He heard the mech shift, digits scraping against the ground and the nearly inaudible sound of metal on metal.

"Here." Dusty said. Axil held his servo out and Dusty dropped the missing screw into his open palm. He quickly wrapped his digits around it before it could fall again. "Sorry about that."

"It's fine." Axil insisted as he screwed the last one in and stood up, turning to face Dusty with a smirk. "Just wasn't paying attention."

"It's working though?" Dusty asked as Axil followed him down the trail down to the road.

"For now at least." Axil said with a chuckle, slipping slightly. He heard Dusty skip a vent but he was quick to right himself and flash the red miner a confident smirk. "But you know how long that thing last. I'll be up here fixing it again within the next few cycles."

"No doubt about it. Watch it."

"Calm down," Axil continued, shaking his helm. "I've been up here enough times, I know this trail like the back of my servo."

"Yeah yeah." Dusty said with a huff. Axil smirked before his attention snapped down the road to where he head Carbon coming back up the road. His engine was at an easy roar and beside the fact he was coming back up the road instead of down it, he was empty. "Carbon's on his way up."

He heard Dusty pause before the mech chuckled.

"You and your hearing." Dusty continued.

Axil shrugged again before continuing down the track after Dusty. And slipped on a loose edge.

"Ax-!"

The side collapsed and he hissed another curse as he scrambled for purchase. He hit the ground hard on his side, snarling as a sharp stab of pain shot up his hipbolt. Too late he remembered Carbon coming up the road until the mech was practically on top of him.

xxXXxx

"For frag's sake I'm not gonna self-destruct or something." Ratchet grumbled as he watched Chrome run circles around him. "If my spark was going to reject the frame it would have happened already."

"And it's still a possibility." Chrome snapped, glaring at the mech before resuming his search for various tools. Ratchet rolled his optics, choosing not to mention the probability of that happening this late after the transfer was in the point something something range. "When's that femme coming?"

"Nova will be here in a few klicks." Ratchet said with a sigh. "She got caught in traffic."

Chrome frowned, his armor flaring slightly before relaxing again.

"Chrome, you need to go." Ratchet said seriously. "Arachnid will strip you for parts if you're late."

A low whine hissed from Chrome's vents as he glanced toward Iacon before back at Ratchet.

"Ratchet, there's some things I need to tell you-" Chrome started to say just as the doors slid open and Nova walked in.

"Sorry I'm late, traffic was really bad." She said, brushing dust from her armor with a frown. "I don't know what's going on but Iacon is a mess."

"Political slag no doubt." Chrome said gruffly before stalking over to Nova. The femme eyed Chrome nervously but held her grown.

"He so much as hiccups-" He said, stabbing a digit back in Ratchet's direction. "Comm me. Is that clear."

"Yes sir." Nova said with a slight smirk. "I'll keep an optic on him."

"Good. I'll try to be back tonight…" He trailed off, glancing back at Ratchet again with his jaw tense.

"Git going." Ratchet ordered, scowling at the medic until he finally glanced away.

"Alright alright already." Chrome muttered, his shoulder guards slumping. "The world is going to explode. I know it. I'm going to leave and the mine will collapse or something like that and everyone will terminate."

"Get out before you never leave!" Ratchet yelled and Chrome shot him a dark look before finally heading toward the door.

"No transforming, stay in the 'bay, don't put your spark under too much stress and don't touch your fraggin coding!" He yelled over his shoulder guard at Ratchet before stomping out of the 'bay.

"Wow." Nova said after he'd left before turning toward Ratchet. "He been like that all morning?"

"Yes." Ratchet grumbled, sliding off the berth now that the overprotective medic was gone.

"Ratch-" Nova warned, giving Ratchet a dark look.

"I swear on my spark I'm fine." Ratchet said with a sigh, keeping one servo on the berth edge to help keep his balance.

"What's he talking about your coding?" Nova asked, still scowling at Ratchet.

"The sensors in my servos." Ratchet explained with a low growl of frustration. "He's got it all locked up behind some simple coding so I can't use them."

"Why not."

"So I don't strain myself." Ratchet replied, rolling his optics. "He won't even let me use my scanners for fraggin sakes."

"They do use a lot of power." Nova said with a knowing look.

"What annoys the pit out of me is that he won't let me sync the sensors myself." Ratchet grumbled. "I've done it before."

Nova shrugged easily.

"Chrome must have told you not to for a reason." She said. "Things have gone wrong before."

"And I can't even think of why." Ratchet continued with a scowl. "I've been wracking my processor and I cannot figure out why that would be a problem. My frame is running at a hundred percent."

"Ah, Chrome? Ah little 'elp 'ere."

Ratchet glanced toward the door in time to see Sterling walk in with a rag pressed against a good portion of his faceplates.

"What the-" Ratchet sputtered, staring at the mech in shock. Primus, one trip and he was already getting into fights!

"Where's Chrome?" Sterling asked again, eyeing Nova cautiously.

"He left." Ratchet said. "She's filling in because Chrome thinks I'm going to explode. What happened."

"Ah got tah credits." Sterling said with a crooked smirk, pulling the rag away to expose a deep gash running from just above his right optic across his faceplates to spilt the left side of his lip plates in half.

"The frag did you do?!" Nova yelled, her optics huge with alarm.

"Some fraggers wanted tah crystal." He said with a shrug, pressing the rag against his helm again. "Ah said no."

"Good grief Sterling." Ratchet muttered, taking a step back to rest a servo against the berth again. He was getting the hang of his larger size but that last thing he wanted was to fall flat on his faceplates again.

"Sit down, I need to make sure that isn't infected." Nova ordered, grabbing a chair and dragging it over. Sterling eyed her again before his gaze darted over to Ratchet, his white optics clouded with distrust and suspicion. Ratchet gave him a quick nod and Sterling returned his attention to Nova.

"Maght as well." He said with grin, easily draping his long frame into the chair. "Nice tah beh under tah lovin' servos 'o ah pretty femme."

"Oh for fraggin sakes." Ratchet muttered as Nova failed to hide a smirk. "You're a bonded mech!"

Sterling shot Ratchet a cheeky grin before Nova grabbing his jaw to make him look at her.

"How much you get payed?" Ratchet asked, changing the subject.

"More then weh've ev'a seen be'fo. Chrome's gonna blow ah fuse when 'ee sees 'ow much was transferred tah 'is account."

"What did this?" Nova asked, gently tipping Sterling's helm toward the light better.

"Knife."

"Oh fo' fraggin sakes…" Ratchet muttered, sliding onto the berth and dropping his helm into his servos.

"When did that happen?" Nova continued, walking away and turning to Ratchet. "Where's some disinfectant and something to numb his faceplates with? He's got some rust in there that I need to clean out."

"Three orns ahgo." Sterling replied and Nova turned to stare at him in shock.

"Factory's that far away." Ratchet supplied when Nova turned to look at him. "Disinfectant is on the third shelf, second cupboard and the freezing is in the drawer on the right."

Nova went and got the supplies and set them on the table beside Sterling.

"You don't need any help?" Ratchet asked, ready to slide off the berth.

"I know what I'm doing Ratchet." Nova said with a laugh. "I've fixed facial wounds before. Oh, you may want to lay down, it's easier."

Sterling obediently stood up, moving the chair out of the way and climbed up into the berth, laying down with a sigh.

"Why do you listen to her so well." Ratchet asked with a smirk.

"Because she's prettier then ya." Sterling said with a wink. "An' she don't throw things."

"Not yet." Nova said, dipping her helm to hide the sudden blush she had developed before she picked up the numbing agent and Sterling shuddered. "Don't move. This might sting."

Ratchet shifted on the berth, irritated to no end that he didn't have his scanners to at least see what kind of damage the mech had. He poked at the coding Chrome had locked everything behind and scowled when it easily shifted. It wouldn't hold up to any kind of force.

"I know you're poking at that coding Ratchet so stop it." Nova said, not even looking up. Ratchet shot her a dark look as Sterling chuckled before he went back to nudging the coding.

Abruptly he went completely rigid, his armor flaring when Dusty walked into the medbay, Axil hovering behind him. Sterling gently nudged Nova aside, sitting up to face the red miner.

"Where's Chrome." Dusty demanded, not even looking at Ratchet. "What in frag is going on."

"Ah got mah face sliced open." Sterling said, sliding off the berth to place himself slightly in front of a bristling Nova. "Chrome's banned Ratch from workin' an' Nova was gonna fix mah face."

A low rumble escaped Dusty's engine as he looked Nova over and Ratchet was quick to rev his own, much more powerful, engine.

"Chrome trusted her to watch me and you can bet your aft he wouldn't have left the medbay to just anyone." Ratchet said, forcing the snarl out of his voice only because of the respect he still had for the mech. At that moment Axil moved out from behind Dusty and Ratchet immediately saw the scrapped paint and heavy limp.

"Axil you limping, what's wrong." He demanded, making the dark grey mech jump. "What happened?"

"I slipped." He mumbled.

"That's more than a slip." Ratchet pressed, once again wishing for access to his scanners. Instead he shot Dusty a pointed look and the mech scowled.

"He slipped off the trail and landed on his side wrong." He growled.

Axil snorted harshly, a sneer crossing his usually cheerful features.

"Carbon lost half the paint on his side because I fell off the trail and landed on his grill." He said with a low snarl.

"Is anything damaged?" Nova asked, sidestepping Sterling to get a better look at Axil.

"I'm fine, just tired." Axil said, brushing Nova off as he limped farther into the medbay. One servo remained on the counters, then the table, along the wall, and onto the berth in the far corner he had claimed. "It will fix itself. Let me know when Sandy gets here."

"Yeah, sure." Ratchet said as the mech promptly dropped into recharge, his legs pulled up tight to his chassis. He watched the dark grey miner for a sad moment before glancing back at Dusty. **"I know you hate me but I'm still a medic-"**

"**If it wasn't for you sticking your neck where it doesn't belong he wouldn't be blind and have fallen!" **Dusty shot back, his posture neutral despise the savage snarl over the comm.

"**Get over it Dusty."** Sterling snarled, easily tapping into the unsecure comm. **"Wha' 'appened."**

"**He slipped off the trail and Carbon was coming up the road. He transformed at the last nano-klick but still slid into Axil."** Dusty spat before giving Ratchet another murderous glare. **"You don't need to be a medic to know a mech that size hitting you at that speed does damage."**

He turned back to Sterling, dismissing Ratchet with dark look.

"**Axil can't come back to the mine." ** He said. **"It's too dangerous." **

Sterling didn't say anything but his armor had started to flare.

"Get your face fixed and get back to the mine." Dusty ordered, turning away.

"Hold on ah klick Dusty," Sterling objected with a snarl. "Ah get tah rest o' tah orn fo' mah mate. Always 'ave."

"And we're short mechs. Get over it." Dusty snapped.

"Dusty!"

xxXXxx

Azure pulled up to the medbay, her bond with her mate blocked to hide the rolling emotions that both of them were trying to hide from the other. Transforming at the doors she walked in in time to see Sterling give Dusty a murderous look.

"Hold on ah klick Dusty," Sterling snarled. "Ah get tah rest o' tah orn fo' mah mate. Always 'ave."

"And we're short mechs. Get over it." Dusty snapped.

"Dusty!" She yelled, her anger just about boiling over.

"Auzie! What are you-" Dusty stammered only for Azure to give him a scathing glare and a slap over the bond to silence his protest.

"Sterling, what happened." She asked in a normal tone, blue optics full of concern at the energon that had started to drip down his faceplates again.

"Rough trip." Sterling growled, glaring at Dusty.

"Get it fixed up and go home to Carmine." She said with a faint smile. "She's worried sick about you after what's all happened in the last few cycles."

"Tha's wha' Ah intended tah do." Sterling said before shooting Dusty another murderous look. Dusty looked like he was about to snarl something back but Azure finally opened the bond, letting her anger boil over it and shock him into silence.

**|Azure I didn't-|**

**|Didn't what.|** She snapped.

**|Mean to make you so mad…|**He trailed off, remorse leaking over the bond even as he dropped his optics, armor pulling tight against his frame. Instead Azure let another wave of anger over and Dusty cringed.

**|You've been a boiling angry **_**mess**_** since this started!|** Azure yelled. **|You've been blocking me off and all I can feel is your anger. Pixel has no idea what's going on and what am I supposed to tell her!|**

**|I'm sorry.|**

**|You're mad at Ratchet.| **She accused. **|You think this is all his fault.|**

**|Of course it is!|** Dusty snapped. **|Axil is **_**blind**_** because of him!|**

**|You believe that?|**

**|Course I do.|**

**|I want to talk to him.|** Azure said after a moment. Dusty stared at her for a moment before his armor almost exploded off his frame in anger.

**|Are you out of your processor! I don't want you **_**near**_** him!|** Dusty yelled. **|What happens if Avalon targets **_**you **_**because of him!|**

**|he has no way of knowing who I am.| **Azure replied, struggling to keep her own temper in check. With the bond open, the harsh, bitter edge of betray was quickly taking over Dusty's anger.

**|You don't know that! What if he hurts you next.|** He said miserably.

**|I want to know what happened. And you sure can't blame Sterling for this. Why would you keep him from his mate like that!|**

**|Azure we have to keep Copper away from here.|** Dusty said. **|The more we mine the less likely he's going to come.|**

**|At the cost of their respect?|** Azure demanded. **|You're better than that. You always have been.|**

Dusty didn't say anything other than to drop his optics away from Azure's piercing gaze.

"I'm talking to Ratchet alone." Azure repeated and Dusty stiffened, his red gaze meeting hers. Abruptly it shifted to Ratchet and the pure hatred and hostility as well as the raw protection of a spark mate nearly overwhelmed her and almost sent her to her kneebolts.

But then the grey mech with the vivid red optics that had almost the same signal at Ratchet snarled, glaring at Dusty with an equal amount of hostility.

"I would never hurt her." He snarled in a lower version of Ratchet's voice. "Don't insult me more by implying I would do _anything_ to Azure."

Azure stiffened as she realised that her mate had just threatened the young mech and proceeded to shove him over the bond. Dusty jumped at the sharp stab before glancing at Azure.

"Alone." She repeated, more bite in her voice this time and not even hiding the thought that he would _so_ be sleeping on the floor tonight if he didn't shut the frag up.

"I'll be at the mine." Dusty said lowly. "I'll see you tomorrow morning." He added, glaring at Sterling.

"Bright an' early." Sterling replied with a frown. Dusty glanced back at Azure before sighing and walking out of the medbay.

"What ever you want to say to him, you can say in front of me." The femme spoke up and Azure glanced over to see bright green optics studying her with an almost protective edge to her tone.

"Nova, please-" Ratchet started to say.

"That glitch just accused you of-" The femme stuttered in confusion.

"I know." Ratchet replied. "Just, let her say her piece. It's not like she's the only one who wants to rip me a new one." Ratchet said lowly.

"I don't like it. This isn't your fault." She continued, crossing her arms over her chassis and pinning Azure with a dark glare. "None of this is his fault."

"I never said it was." Azure said levelly, glaring right back at the silver and pink femme.

"Nova. Please?" Ratchet asked again. "Just leave us alone for a bit? You can work on Sterling in Chrome's office. It's sound proof when the door's closed."

Nova turned to glare at Ratchet before Sterling rested a servo on her shoulder guard.

"Come on, let 'em talk. Azuie's won't do anything tah 'im." Sterling said quietly, leading Nova toward the office.

"I still don't like it." Nova grumbled as the door slid shut.

xxXXxx

All of a sudden Ratchet was alone with a furious femme and he knew that for a fact was a really _really _dangerous place to be. He was trying to watch Azure and at the same time, avoiding her burning glare.

Azure continued to study him and it was making it harder and harder to keep his vents steady. He knew exactly what this was about though what _Azure_ wanted was a mystery.

The silence was beginning to become unbearable when she finally started forward. His armor flatten even tighter against his frame until he was sure that there would be marks.

"Do you know anything about me and Dusty?" Azure asked, her voice hard.

"No. He doesn't… doesn't talk about your relationship." Ratchet said hesitantly.

"We're not that different Ratchet." She said. "I was being rebellious and I wanted to explore. A gang of overcharged glitches thought that it would be fun to try and corner me for a gang rape. I literally ran into Dusty and he saved my life and got me back into middle class territory. I couldn't stop thinking about him though and I kept sneaking out of my creators' home to see him. My family unit found out and was furious as you can guess. They didn't want me anywhere near the working class, especially a miner with the life expectancy of a retrorat."

Ratchet nodded slowly, still waiting for what was to come.

"I love Dusty with all my spark." She continued, her voice starting to waver. "We've been bonded for almost nine metacycles, and our femmeling just turned eight. Avalon makes his life a living _pit _just because he feels like it and all I can do is hope that he'll keep coming home at night to his femmeling. You have no way of even possibly understanding how much Dusty hated him."

"I was going to tell him." Ratchet mumbled. "Tell everyone. I just…"

"I love my family unit more than life itself." She continued as fluid started to pool in her optics. "I love them more then you can ever image."

She took a deep shuddering breath before her optics once again locked on Ratchet and he felt like someone had just dumped ice into his spark chamber.

"Axil's been blinded because of you." She said, tears streaming down her faceplates. "Copper is all over Dusty and he can't even spend time with Pixel without that pit-spawn comming him to find out of _anything_ is out of line. Avalon murdered Dusty's sire because he wanted to prove a point. Ratchet are my mate and femmeling in danger because of you."

"I-"

Ratchet paused, cutting himself off before glancing away. He couldn't guarantee anything.

"I… I don't know." He mumbled finally, forcing himself to at least have the ball bearings to look up at her. "I don't know. I never meant to hurt anyone."

To his dumb shock Azure managed a small smile.

"For some reason I believe you." She said quietly, her flared armor starting to settle. "I believe you. And maybe Dusty will one orn too."

And with that, she dipped her helm to Ratchet before turning and walking out as quietly as she walked in.

As soon as she was gone Ratchet guested a huge sigh of relief from his vents, his entire frame relaxing from his tense position. No sooner had he relaxed that Nova burst out of the office, her servos stained with energon.

"The frag was that all about." She demanded.

"She just wanted to talk." Ratchet said before gesturing toward Nova's servos. "Is Sterling alright?"

"Yeah, I'm almost done." Nova grumbled before walking back into Chrome's office. Ratchet watched her before his gaze drifted toward Axil. The mech had done a completely 180 since he was attacked and it scared the slag out of him. Even with most of his coding tied down he knew that the mech's emotional state was plummeting and that it would lead to other, more serious problems most mechs didn't think of.

He was well into depression and while he hadn't admitted it out loud, Ratchet had a horrible feeling deep in his tank that the dark grey miner thought they would be better off without him. And worse yet, Chrome didn't seem to be picking up on those signs at all. Or he was ignoring them.

"Great." He muttered to himself. "Now I'm paranoid."

He jumped when the door slid open and snapped back around as Sterling walked out of the office, the fresh silvery weld stark against his rough features.

"It will be tender." Nova was saying as she followed him out. "Go easy on the yelling."

Sterling forced a smirk before nodding.

"Let's see." Ratchet said and the mech turned to him.

"Ah can't move mah face." Sterling said, shaking his helm slowly. "She did ah good job. 'Ardly felt it."

Without even thinking, Ratchet sent a scan toward the mech, forcing the coding when it stalled just a moment. Too late he remembered the coding blocking his scanners

And suddenly the thin wall collapsed.

Burning pain flooded his frame before pooling in his servos till it felt like they would melt off.

"Ratchet!" Nova cried out as he doubled over on the berth, gasping at the pain that threatened to overwhelm him.

"Wha's wrong!" Sterling demand through the pain filled fog clouding his processor.

"I think he broke though Chrome's coding." Nova explained as she ran to him.

"Codin'? Wha' codin'?"

"His medical coding. His scanners and sensors. He said Chrome locked them up so he couldn't use them."

"Sensors?! Aw frag 'is servos will beh on fire." Sterling growled. "Ratch, ya got tah calm down. Ya goin' tah overheat."

Ratchet caught the last part of Sterling's words but it went over his helm as he focused on his steadily climbing core temperature.

"I'm comming Chrome." Nova said, her slim servos gripping Ratchet's shoulder guards to steady the panting mech.

"I'm… fine." He wheezed.

"No ya not mech. Comm him." Sterling ordered.

There was a moment of silence before Chrome's voice exploded over his comm.

"**You fraggin' idiotic glitch! What part of 'don't touch' did you not understand?!"** Chrome yelled. **"When I tell you something I expect you to listen! I'm a fraggin medic for Primus' sake!"**

"**Chrome, I can't… can't vent." **Ratchet panted. **"What's-what's going on."**

"**Fraggin spawn of a glitch, I knew this would happen!"** Chrome yelled. In the background he heard a dark chuckle.

"**Problems with the MTO?"** Flatline's smooth voice asked and Ratchet couldn't stop the shudder that wracked his frame.

"**Mute it glitch."** Chrome snarled before there was a loud thunk and his voice was suddenly much clearer. **"Ratch, ya still with me?"**

"**Yeah…"**Ratchet wheezed, his vents locking up.

"**What's your core temp."**

"**Too high. It's spiking like… like what happened to you when…" **Ratchet cut himself off as at the same time Chrome spat another sting of profanity.

"**Your…your core spiked like this when… you had a selion attack." **Ratchet wheezed, the realisation of what was happening causing a white hot vice to form around his spark. **"But how- how… I-"**

Ratchet cut himself off as what little air he was still able to suck in was suddenly cut off. His entire frame locked up and warnings exploded across his vison about plummeting core temperatures and seized vents. His comm cut out as power was diverted to try and cool his burning frame but nothing was working.

Suddenly he was trapped under ground, that horrible burning in his vents only a million times worse and that helpless feeling of being unable to do anything as his frame melted around him. The driller was off to the side and advancing, Piper's mangled frame still sparking from the driller attacking the other mech-

-Ice cold relief flooded his systems and he was vaguely aware of something being pulled from the main fuel line in his neck. Warnings stalled across his vison before slowly disappearing, the ice working its way through system after system.

His vents snapped open and he gasped, far too hot air exploding from his frame in a rush as the cold continued to work its way through his frame and he felt himself drop into the icy blackness.

xxXXxx

Axil jolted online from another memory flux only to have strong servos grab his shoulder guards.

"It's me." Sandstorm said before he even had a chance to fully online. Axil immediately relaxed with a low gasp, clutching Sandy's bracer. "You're in Chrome's bay remember?"

"Yeah. I'm alright." He said with a smirk before the sounds of harsh, ragged vents reached his audios. "What's going on?"

"Ratchet's had an attack of some kind." Sandy murmured. "Sterling says he'll be alright but it sounds like a selion attack. But he hasn't been here long enough to have an attack that bad. They're talking with Chrome even as we speak."

Despite that, Axil realised that he didn't even feel worried about Ratchet's health. It seemed almost… fitting.

"Come on, let's get out of here." Sandy said, gently guiding Axil out of the medbay. While it had taken some practise, Axil easily fell in behind Sandy as he started down the road. He stayed right on the other mech's bumper as he headed toward Iacon.

"**Sandy, can- can we stop?" **Axil asked halfway through the drive.

"**Wha? Yeah yeah sure. Stay close." **Sandy said and Axil sensed him changing lanes. Axil stayed close behind him and soon felt the rough road get worse. He slowed down to a crawl and Axil transformed as soon as they had stopped.

"What's going on." Sandy asked, his voice echoing slightly.

"Alley?" Axil asked.

"Yeah, just off the road a bit. I heard you got hurt." Sandy continued. "You alright?"

"They're lying to me." Axil said instead, ignoring the other mech's question.

"What? Who, What are you talking about?" Sandy demanded. "Axil, what's going on?"

"Chrome and Ratchet." Axil said, his voice wavering. "I can hear it in their voices. They're lying."

"About what-?"

"What do you think!" Axil snapped, ripping the dark visor form his helm and turning his blind features toward his best friend. "What in _pit_ do you think they would lie to me about!"

"But Chrome said…" Sandstorm insisted before trailing off. Axil heard the way his vents hitched and took a step back from the mech in alarm. "Chrome wouldn't lie about… about something like that."

"You so sure about that?" Axil demanded with a humorless laugh. "Thank Sandy! It's optics! Pop the old out one and plug a new one in! It is literally the simplest injury that can happen!"

"But the acid-"Sandy cut himself off as Axil sneered.

"I'm not stupid. I may have had my face fried but I can still think." He bit out, all the anger and helplessness he felt over the cycles threating to snap him in half.

"I never said that." Sandy snapped.

"And yet everyone thinks I'm processor damaged!"

"You may be fraggin blind Axil but you still fixed that ventilator."

Axil snorted despite the slight pain it caused.

"I know that ventilator better then I know my own frame." He said quietly. "I nearly got myself terminated and Carbon to get seriously hurt because of me."

"The mech's practically a tank, it will take more than running over a scrawny mech like you to hurt him." Sandy said in an effort to get the mech out of whatever funk he was in.

"If I'm so useless why am I even still here." Axil growled lowly only for Sandstorm to sock him in the jaw.

The blow caught him completely off guard and he went down hard, his processor spinning at the pain that exploded across his faceplates, the acid scars lighting up with a pain that threatened to send him offline.

"If I ever hear you talking like that again I'll beat you into stasis myself!" Sandstorm spat as Axil rubbed his jaw. "What do you mean 'why are you here'! You're here because you're my friend and probably the only thing that's kept me from fraggin _losing it_ metacycles ago!"

Abruptly Sandstorm was down on his level and jabbed a very sharp digit into his chassis.

"You listening glitch?" He demanded. "We're friends Axil. Copper ain't gonna get _near_ you if I can help it. And don't you _dare _start thinking like that. You're not worthless you got that."

The last word was said with another sharp jab to his chassis and Axil jerked back, his gaze dropping away at Sandstorm's outburst.

"Alright!" He snapped. "Alright…" He trailed off as a shudder made his frame tremble.

"We'll figure something out." Sandy repeated softly, his servo moving to rest on Axil' shoulder guard. "We-"

"I'm blind Sandstorm." Axil said quickly, another shudder wracking his frame before a third sob followed. "They're going to have me terminated."

Sandstorm didn't say anything other than his grip to tighten on Axil's shoulder guard as the other mech completely broke down.

* * *

**Isn't that a great way to end the freaking year? (if i don't get another chapter out) Love you all and have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  
**

**Read and Review! Love you guys and see you next post and or next year**

**2016 here we come! Whoohoo!**


	27. Selion

**Hey all and hope your all off to a great year! First update of the year and i am pumped! I cant wait to hear from you guys, I've missed you. **

**KayleeChiara: I'm so glad you like it so far, and I'm glad you like Axil as much as i do. I've fallen in love with the sweet heart as well even though I'm mean to him. **

**Guest: I'm sorry, I've been working on another fic that i can no get out of my head to work on this. **

**Neon: I' m to impatient for a betta so yeah, i miss things some time. I get to excited to post. **

**AutobotGuy710: Ha! It's out! You're turn! **

**Child of Jon snow: Love you too. **

**Skyice98: Meh, nobody's dead yet so i think things are going just peachy *ducks wrench to head**

**InterstellarGazer: I'm so glad you liked it, it was a bit more stubborn to write but I've been SOOO distracted lately. **

**And on with The Medical Journals!**

* * *

Chrome stiffened when Flatline abruptly turned to him with a wide grin.

"What." He demanded, not sure what to expect from the psychotic former medic.

"Arachnid says there's someone trying to access your comm." He said, casually leaning on the energon covered table. Chrome straightened and set aside the scalpel he had been using to better study the mech. thankfully all the 'donors' as they were called here, were already offline.

If anyone was trying to contact him, there was no way anything good had happened.

"Put them through." Chrome said, moving to the small external comm system sitting on the counter.

**"Chrome? Chrome it's Nova."**

"I'm here, what's going on?" Chrome asked, shooting a look at Flatline. The mech was still smirking at him and Chrome snarled, gesturing back toward his table.

**"It's Ratchet, something's wrong. He got past your coding-"**

"What?!"

**"He's having some kind of attack! I don't know what's going on!"**

Chrome went rigid in alarm before snarling under his breath. He quickly yanked his datacord from it's place on his bracer and plugged into the external comm, quickly opening another comm though Arachnid's network. Only problem was that despite the hard line connection, it would be routed though the external comm and Flatline, and probably Arachnid, would hear everything.

"You fraggin' idiotic glitch!" Chrome yelled over the new comm, ignoring the way Flatline chuckled behind him. "What part of 'don't touch' did you not understand?! When I tell you something I expect you to listen! I'm a fraggin medic for Primus' sake!"

**"Chrome, I can't… can't vent." **Ratchet's raspy voice replied. **"What's-what's going on."**

"Fraggin spawn of a glitch, I knew this would happen!" Chrome spat. Behind him Flatline turned back to him, a cruel smirk crossing his faceplates.

"Problems with the MTO?" Flatline asked casually.

"Mute it glitch." Chrome snarled before dropping his elbow guards onto the counter with a thunk and getting closer to the comm. "Ratch, ya still with me?"

**"Yeah…"**Ratchet wheezed and Chrome knew then that it was the first signs of a selion attack.

"What's your core temp." He demanded, sending up a silent prayer that it wasn't.

**"Too high. It's spiking like… like what happened to you when…" **Ratchet cut himself off and Chrome swore violently. Of course he would figure it out himself and Chrome would bet the credits he owed Arachnid that he would panic.

**"Your…your core spiked like this when… you had a selion attack." **Ratchet continued, his voice sounding worse and worse as he no doubt tried to force his frame to work. **"But how- how… I-"**

The comm suddenly went dead and Chrome swore again, slamming a fisted servo onto the counter with another snarl. He couldn't leave now, not now!

"Fraggit all, tell Arachnid I had to leave." Chrome snarled, spinning around and heading toward the doors.

Only for them to slide open with Arachnid leering at him on the other side.

"Going somewhere Chrome?" She asked, the solid bulk of Vortex just off to her side.

"Ratchet's having a selion attack, I have to go." He said, starting to brush past her. He jerked back as Vortex slammed an open servo against the doorframe, blocking him in.

"You owe me a lot of credits Chrome." Arachnid said, her smirk dissolving into a sneer. "A _lot_ of credits."

"And I'll pay you back." Chrome snapped, just barely keeping his panic and anger in check. "But I have to go or Ratchet will terminated."

"That's not my problem." Arachnid said. "You stripped that frame of anything good. I'm not impressed."

"I told you you wouldn't get much from it." Chrome said, unable to keep a slight smirk from crossing his lip plates. An ugly sneer crossed Arachnid's features and Chrome felt a wave of panic flood his spark as he took a step back.

Only to have Flatline sink his claws into his shoulder guard, the razor sharp edge of a scalpel pressed against his throat in a nano-klick.

"If that mech terminates, I can salvage the frame." Flatline purred in that smooth voice of his. "I won't get all the credits back, but a good portion of them."

"His spark chamber's scarred, any 'Forcer with half a scanner will be able to tell its an FST'd frame." Chrome snarled. Arachnid hesitated just a nano-klick before those purple optics shifted to Flatline.

"It shouldn't be." Flatline said, his grip on the scalpel shifting and drawing energon. "You said he was in the middle of a transfer anyways. It shouldn't show signs of a forced spark transfer."

"He terminated twice in that frame and once before you even showed up. That fraggin selion made his spark even more unstable and he'd been losing energon for an orn and a half." Chrome said, optics locked on Arachnid in a challenge even as he ignored the thin line of energon working its way down his throat cables. "Trust me when I say that he's lucky his spark was already severing ties to his old frame or he never would have survived. But if you wait a bit longer I might be able to bring his fraggin spark chamber here for you to look at yourself, he sure as frag won't need it!"

Arachnid's gaze hardened but then Flatline released him.

"I expect you back here tomorrow." Arachnid growled as Vortex moved aside and Chrome stormed past, a servo pressed against his leaking throat. "Is that clear."

"I'll come back when _my_ _apprentice_ is stable." Chrome shot back. "And not a nano-klick earlier."

Vortex struck.

xxXXxx

Sterling whipped around anxiously, reaching the far side of the medbay in just a few long-legged strides and wiped back around to keep pacing. Every time he walked past Ratchet, he let his sensors crawl over the mech to see if anything had changed. While they were designed for tracking, they could still tell him that the apprentice's was still far too hot to be out of danger.

Nova was sitting beside him and while he still didn't trust the middle class femme, his coding hadn't identified her as a threat so he left her alone. But that didn't mean he was happy.

His mate was constantly nudging the bond, wanting to know what was going on and his own anxiety was leaching back across to her despite him trying to block it off. But if Carmine was one thing it was persistent and he finally gave up when she had jabbed him for what had felt like the millionth time. Sterling missed her so badly but he didn't dare leave in case Ratchet had another attack.

He was so focused on Ratchet that when the doors abruptly slid open, he nearly stabbed Sandstorm. Only the mech's brutal reflexes saved him as he twisted out of the way of having the knife take his helm off.

"Sterling! The frag!" He yelled, armor flared in fear and peds slightly apart in a defensive position. Sterling remembered what had happened in the mine before he had left and was quick to stand down, pulling his own thick armor flat in a non-aggressive way.

"Ah didn't see ya." Sterling muttered, backing off to give the other mech more personal space. "Jumpy tha's all."

"Uh huh." Sandy grunted, shooting a look at Nova and Ratchet before his optics drifted toward Axil. Sterling moved aside as the tan miner slunk past him and watched as he gently woke Axil. The mech still jerked violently but Sandy quickly calmed them down and the two mechs left. As soon as they were gone he was pacing again, his codding getting stronger and stronger as he waited for Chrome to hurry and get out of the dead zone of Arachnid's Black Market.

He was twitching badly but the time Chrome finally limped into the medbay and when Sterling detected fresh energon and saw Chrome holding his throat he nearly lost it right then and there.

"Sterling, get out before you break something." Chrome ordered, heavily favoring his left side where Sterling could detect still dripping energon and torn wires. He limped to the counters and grabbed something out of a drawer, smearing a thick paste onto the shallow gash across the main fuel line to his processor.

"Wha' appened." He demanded, struggling to calm his coding down before he blew a fuse. Chrome put the stuff away and turned back toward him.

"I fragged off someone." He replied, moving past Sterling and straight toward Ratchet. Sterling's codding bucked violently and he just managed to keep his blades from shooting out of subspace.

"Rachnid?" He demanded.

"Vortex actually." Chrome corrected and Sterling snarled. "Don't even think about it, I'm still functional. At least I walked out of there in one piece."

"Tha' Vosian reject ripped ya side open." Sterling growled, sensors pinpointing every single energon leak no matter how small it was. "An' wha' 'appened tah ya throat."

"Flatline. And isn't Carmine's waiting for you? Wouldn't want to keep her waiting."

The growl in Sterling's powerful engine broke off with a pathetic choking sound.

"Alright mech?" Chrome asked with a smirk. At that moment Carmine nudged him again and any and all self-control he had dissolved.

"Frag ya mech." Sterling growled before he turned tailpipe and headed home to his mate.

xxXXxx

Chrome let a weak chuckle escape him as Sterling's protective resolve shattered into a million pieces and he bolted on back home like a whipped turbofox.

At that moment another wave of pain pulsed though his side and he winced, pressing a servo against the poor repair.

Stupid fraggin glitchin' Vortex and his claws. Least he hadn't ripped anything too vital out of his side other than a servo full of tubing and wires. And it would hurt like pit to try and weld that vent back together.

But his biggest worry was Ratchet.

A quick scan revealed that while his core temperature was still too high, it wouldn't off' him. Gently he placed a servo on Nova's shoulder guard, not expecting her to jump when he did so.

"Chrome! What's- Sterling gave him something, I don't know what it was but whatever it was calmed him down, I don't' know what happened, I've never heard of anything like-"

"Nova calm down, I got this." Chrome said, gently readjusting his grip to pull her to her peds.

"No! I'm not leaving!" She objected, jerking her arm free.

"Nova, you said so yourself, you don't know what happened and I don't want you in my way." Chrome said bluntly. Nova's optics dropped before she released a deep sigh from her vents.

"Alright." She mumbled, optics on the floor as she slowly turned toward the door. "Alright."

To his surprise that was all that happened as she left, hesitating just a moment outside before transforming and driving off. Chrome watched her before turning back toward Ratchet.

"Ratchet?" He asked gently, giving the mech's shoulder guard a light shake. "You with me?"

xxXXxx

The icy blackness started to recede and for a moment, Ratchet was quite content to follow it. He was too tired and too stressed to deal with the world of the online but pressure on his shoulder guard and a gently shake finally brought him out of it.

And made him realise just how sore and drained he felt.

"You alright?" Chrome's voice filtered through the fog and Ratchet nodded, thinking about trying to sit up and changing him mind at the same time.

"Wha… what happened…" He asked weakly, his voice sounding far hoarse then he remembered.

"Congrads, you just survived your first selion attack."

The words shocked Ratchet the rest of the way online and he shifted to stare up at Chrome in alarm.

"But that's- that's not possible." Ratchet protested. "I've only been here for a metacycle and a half, why… why-"

"Calm down, Sterling managed to get your core temperature down, don't bring it back up again by having another panic attack." Chrome replied.

"But how…" Ratchet trailed off weakly, his helm spinning in confusion.

"Ratchet, the amount of selion you were exposed to would have terminated anyone else." Chrome said carefully. "Most of us would have terminated within a few joors."

"So…" Ratchet trailed off, unsure how to ask. "How bad is it…?"

"There's no way to gauge how bad the selion in a mech's spark is." Chrome continued. "It doesn't exist remember? You learn to gauge it yourself how long you can be exposed to it. Some mechs can handle it better than others. It's part of the reason Carbon's so rarely underground. He has it the worse out of all of us because of his time in Kaon."

Carefully Ratchet sat up, the hot pressure in his spark chamber causing him to pause half way up.

"You get use to that as well." Chrome said with a half smirk only for Ratchet to give him a flat look as he straightened.

"You said you had to spend a lifetime underground before it effected someone." Ratchet said, optics dropping to the floor.

"Selion is always in the air Ratchet." Chrome said with a sigh. "My guess, and Carbon agrees with me, is that selion was venting out of that drop shaft you fell down. When it filled in, the selion had nowhere to go and started to build up. There was an explosion because of it and Carbon had an attack after he dropped you off."

"Is he alright?" Ratchet asked, optics shooting to Chrome. "Why didn't you tell me."

"Because I wanted to tell you about yourself first." Chrome explained. "I wanted you stronger before you forced your frame. I don't know what your limits are because you were exposed to so much selion in such a short amount of time."

"So what, I just push myself until I can't vent and keel over?" Ratchet demanded, harsher then he intended.

"Pretty much." Chrome replied to his shock. "You'll know what normal feels like, and when you push yourself to hard you stop. If you're underground you get out, if you're working you get someone to cover for you and just vent to cool yourself. If you push yourself to hard, you trigger an attack. And yes, panic is an easy way to trigger it."

"Or activating sensors when I shouldn't have?"

"Yes." Chrome said with a dark look.

"So now what." Ratchet asked after a moment of staring at the floor. "I never thought- I mean, I didn't think-"

"You'd ever get it as bad as us?" Chrome interrupted gently and Ratchet shook his helm. "It's a fact of life, Ratch. The good news is that I don't think you'll have to worry too much about it once you learn your limits. Others have to be ridiculously careful because even transforming too fast can overheat them and cause an attack."

"Like Carbon?"

"And Sterling. That coding of his keeps him from sensing selion." Chrome continued. "If you can't smell it, you don't worry about it and he's so focused on other things that he won't even realise he's having an attack until he passes out and well _into_ an attack. He's lucky he's still functioning quite frankly. Miserable fragger…"

"You said my spark chamber was scarred…" Ratchet asked, then trailed off, not even sure if he wanted to know the answer. "And that selion effects the spark…"

Chrome watched him but didn't say anything.

"What…. What about starting… a family…?" Ratchet finally forced himself to ask.

"It… depends." Chrome said hesitantly.

"What do you mean."

"Because your spark was so unstable when I had to transfer it, it might affect your ability to bond with a femme. I've heard stories of forced spark transfer victims being unable to bond because the trauma to their spark prevented them from sharing their spark with their mate." Chrome explained carefully. "But… that's not all."

"What are you talking about." Ratchet demanded, not even sure what could be worse than that.

"Worst case scenario…" Chrome hesitated again before shaking his helm. "Worst case scenario it can make a mech sterile and it will affect their mate as well. It won't be nearly as severe, but the sparkmate can show minor symptoms of selion poisoning."

Ratchet stared at Chrome in shock as the medic glanced away.

"But… Dusty… has a family. And Sterling." Ratchet said, refusing to admit that his voice was trembling. Sure, he had no intentions of starting a family any time soon but… to never be able to bond with his potential sparkmate because it could terminate her? It… it was horrible to think about that he would be alone for the rest of his life. Finding your perfect other half, it was… religious mechs would call it a miracle but most would settle for a dream come true.

"When Dusty bonded with Azure, he still had it bad but he didn't have nearly as bad as right now." Chrome continued. "It's none of my business but I'm positive that he'd wouldn't be able to sire another sparkling, not with how bad it's gotten over the metacycles. And Sterling…. He had it so bad when he came here it wouldn't surprise me if he had been sterile before he even met Carmine. So yes, she has selion poisoning as well from bonding to Sterling."

Ratchet didn't say anything other than to drop his optics in shock. How could something that serious be kept from… everyone. He'd heard of spark-transferred infections but nothing this serious.

"I won't say it's impossible for you to ever start a family...But the chance are almost non-existent." Chrome murmured, clenching his servos. "I… I'm sorry I couldn't do more."

"It's not your fault, I'm still functional aren't I?" Ratchet asked, shaking his helm. "It's a lot more than I expected when I was down- down there."

"You're still young Ratch, you should have had that choice." Chrome continued, half turning away. Ratchet pushed himself to his peds carefully, taking the few steps toward Chrome to rest his servo on the mech's shoulder guard.

"I'm online and functioning. Which is better then what you could say." Ratchet said, dropping his servo to brush it against the crudely welded patch over Chrome's hipbolt. "What happened."

Chrome flinched away from the other mech before pressing his servo back against his side.

"I mouthed off to Arachnid and Vortex took a chunk out of my side." He said with a one sided shrug, turning and moving his arm so that Ratchet could better see the patch.

"You didn't lock my scanners back up." He said, making a wide berth of the coding that had triggered the sudden attack.

"No, because you already set it off." Chrome said with another dark look. "They will have recalibrated when you were in stasis after Sterling gave you the prex."

"I felt something ice cold in my systems." Ratchet mumbled, subconsciously lifting a servo to rub down the side of his neck cables where he had felt the sting of a needle. "Was that it?"

"I told you that stuff works." Chrome said with a smirk. "Counteracts the selion."

"How much do I give myself if I start having an attack?" Ratchet asked, glancing back at Chrome.

"You'll figure it out. It's a lot harder overdosing on prex then you think." Chrome said with a shrug.

"And what about Axil. You were just at the Market, did you find anything for him?" Ratchet asked, changing the subject. "I'm worried about him."

"Don't be, he's a tough mech." Chrome said, easily brushing Ratchet off and the apprentice medic scowled.

"No he's not Chrome." Ratchet objected. "He's not alright. How do you not see it."

"What do you want me to do Ratchet." Chrome asked, his voice hard. "I fix physical damage, not processor damage. I already told you there was nothing I can do for his optics and he'll snap out of it."

"His processor isn't damaged, he's depressed." Ratchet replied. "I'm scared he might…"

"What, terminate himself?" Chrome asked with a humorless laugh when Ratchet trailed off. "You're kidding me. We're talking about the same mech aren't we?"

"I'm not so sure anymore. Chrome I'm serious!" Ratchet insisted.

"And so am I!" Chrome snapped. "Fine! He's a little upset but he'll get over it."

"Yeah right Chrome-"

"You questioning my skills Ratchet." Chrome demanded. "That's real ironic considering how long I've spent keeping you _online!"_

"I never denied your skill, I'm just saying you need to be a little but more worried about Axil then you are right now." Ratchet said, his own voice hardening. "Physical damage isn't the only thing we need to be worried about."

"Then maybe you should worry about him a little less." Chrome growled, holding Ratchet's red glare now that they were optic to optic.

"I'm a medic Chrome, it's my job to worry about mechs."

"You're not a medic yet _apprentice._" Chrome spat.

Ratchet took a step back at the low blow before glancing away.

"You're right." He growled. "Forgive me for forgetting my _place_."

"You're up!"

Ratchet turned toward the doors to see Focus standing just inside, optics bright with surprise before realising that he could cut the tension in the room with a knife.

"Oh slag, is this a bad time…?" He asked hesitantly, already backpedaling toward the door.

"No, I was just leaving." Ratchet said, shooting Chrome a dark look.

"Oh really." Chrome challenged, arms crossed over his chassis. "And what makes you think you're going anywhere."

"I may not be a full medic but I can read my own vitals." Ratchet shot back. "First thing every apprentice learns."

"I… can leave…?" Focus offered in a squeak.

"Don't bother, I need to get some fresh air anyways." Ratchet said, forcing his rising anger to settle.

"Don't you dare trigger another attack over this." Chrome warned.

"Nova said that he was having some kind of attack, what happened." Focus asked, optics darting between Ratchet and Chrome.

"I'll be fine Chrome, I just want to go home." Ratchet said and the medic scowled.

"Keep an optic on him." Chrome growled, shifting his gaze to glaring at Focus. "He starts getting tired for no reason or overheated, comm me. I don't care if it's the middle of the night, you comm me, you got that."

"Yessir." Focus replied, looking a little confused. "What… what's going on?"

"Chrome's being an aft."

"Ratchet's being an aft."

"Ok, I'm gonna leave now." Focus mumbled taking a step back.

"Wait." Chrome growled, glancing at Focus again before turning toward the cupboards. He took a bottle of murky white liquid off the shelf and tossed it at Ratchet. The apprentice snatched it out of the air but didn't even look at it as he tossed it into subspace. He already knew what it was.

**"Don't go _anywhere_ without that."** Chrome said, switching to comms. **"Is that clear. I don't care if Enforcers are strip searching you down to protoform and wires. Spending a few metacycles in the stocks for drug possession is better than in the ground with a grey frame."**

"Yessir." Ratchet replied before turning to Focus. "Let's get out of here."

"Be careful Ratchet, I'm serious." Chrome continued. "You could have an attack just driving there if you don't pace yourself. That feeling in your spark? It gets much hotter than that, you stop. Amazing fact, I do actually know what I'm talking about."

Ratchet shot Chrome a dark look before brushing past Focus and outside. He let his vents fill with fresh air, air that he hadn't cycled in what felt like groons.

"Fresh air's nice isn't it?" Focus asked with a smirk before turning to fully face Ratchet. "What the frag were Chrome and Nova talking about? What kind of attack."

"It's a poison from the mines." Ratchet said, glancing away. What the frag was he going to tell Focus? "Nobody knows how it effects a spark the way it does but if I over-exert myself, my spark will think it's freezing and my frame will heat up trying to cool my spark."

There was no way in pit he was telling him everything else. Especially the part about not able to have a family.

"But you're not overheating…" Focus mumbled.

"Yeah." Ratchet said with a half shrug, letting Focus figure out the rest.

"Oh sweet Primus, you'll melt yourself." Focus sputtered, staring at him in alarm. "How… how easy is it to trigger…?"

"Panic attacks don't help." Ratchet said with a smirk. "He said you get used to it and can tell how far you can push yourself."

"Joy." Focus mumbled before he transformed into his sleek altmode. "The place isn't too far away from here. Can you make it?"

Ratchet nodded before turning his attention inward to his coding. Transforming was normally as easy as venting for anyone but considering the issues he had remembering to vent, he figured transforming would be just a little trickier with this frame.

Taking a vent of air, he initiated the transformation sequence, feeling his frame shift and warp around him. To his surprise, everything went smoothly and in nano-klicks he was sitting on four, heavy duty tires, his much more powerful engine rumbling next to Focus's much quieter, smoother one. His altmode was also much bulkier then his old one, looking more like Sandstorm's 4x4 style offroader then his sleek Elite class and he knew that he would have fun pushing his limits off road. He shifted on his axils, feeling the way his suspension easily compensated for the motion before rolling forward a few inches.

**"Well?"** Focus asked over the comm.

**"It's different, that's for sure."** Ratchet replied, revving his engine and almost jumping at the volume he reached in no time. **"Louder. And way more powerful. This just might be fun."**

**"Ratchet, you push yourself-"** Focus stammered, sounding like he was going to panic.

**"I'm not glitched Focus, I'm not doing anything right now."** Ratchet interrupted in a low tone.

Focus seemed to hesitate before shaking himself on his wheels and rolling forward.

**"Come on, it's this way."** He said as he pulled onto the track and started back toward Iacon. Ratchet easily caught up, his powerful engine rumbling easily as it took no effort to follow Focus over what was normally a rough road.

**"What was going on between you and Chrome?" **Focus asked.

Ratchet didn't respond right a ways and Focus slowed till they were side by side.

**"I didn't mean to prod I just…"** Focus trailed off but left the comm open.

**"It's fine, Chrome…" **It was Ratchet's turn to trail off and he felt a vice slowly start to tighten around his spark in grief. **"We had a disagreement about… methods."**

**"Oh slag, what happened?"**

**"It was about Axil." **Ratchet said and his spark twisted again in warning. With a sigh he took a moment to calm down before realising that Focus was talking to him again. **"Sorry, what?"**

**"What's wrong with him, he was fine a few orns ago."**

**"Not anymore. But Chrome thinks I'm delusional." **Ratchet scoffed, his engine snarling. **"Axil has gone downhill and it's like he's ignoring it."**

**"He's depressed?"**

**"More than that."**

**"Suicidal?!"**

**"I don't know…"** Ratchet mumbled, following Focus down an off-ramp.

**"Can't you tell Sandstorm to keep an optic on him if all else?"** Focus asked.

**"Never thought of that." ** Ratchet replied before opening another comm. **"Hey Sandy, its Ratchet."**

xxXXxx

Sandy hovered by the doorway watching Axil. The mech hadn't moved from his berth and it was starting to freak him out a little. Axil was never this quiet, and he'd never sounded that… hopeless before. Seeing him break down in the alley had shaken him far more than the rugged miner was willing to admit.

"Think too hard and you'll hurt yourself."

Sandy almost jumped out of his armor when another mech clapped him on the shoulder guard.

"Primus Eight, don't' scare me like that." He said, servo pressed over his chassis to make sure his spark was still there. The small, thin mech chuckled, shaking his helm before sobering up.

"That medic of your's come up with something?" The factory worked asked. Sandstorm snorted, jagged armor pulling tight against his frame.

"He's convinced they're lying, that he'll never be able to see again." Sandy mumbled, glancing down at the smaller mech. "Problem is, I think he's right. And I don't need to tell you what that means."

"Termination sentence." Eight said gravely. "Least you mechs get some heads up."

Sandy glanced down at the mech again with a sad smile. Eight's brother had his arm crushed in machinery and the formech had shot him instantly.

"Sorry, I know you mechs got it worse." Sandy mumbled. The only kind of mech that had it worse than a miner was a factory worker. At least drones were maintained when they broke down.

"Hey, don't worry 'bout it." Eight said, nudging Sandy. "We all miss the old Axil."

"Yeah…" Sandy muttered, glancing back up at the curled up form of his best friend.

**"Hey Sandy, its Ratchet."**

"Hold on a klick." Sandy said, catching Eight's attention before he walked out of the open barrack style building and into the alley beside it.

**"Ratchet?! You're up! What happened!"** Sandstorm demanded. **"What the frag was that all about!"**

**"Selion attack."** Ratchet replied. **"I got it bad now apparently."**

**"You'll fit in now." **Sandstorm said with a forced chuckle as he sat down on an old crate, one leg crossed under the other.

**"Yeah, hey, how's Axil?"**

Sandy slumped, leaning back against the acid stained wall of the building before stiffening in anger, a low snarl building in his chassis.

**"What the frag is going on with him." ** He demanded. **"Is he getting his optics or not."**

Ratchet didn't respond and Sandy snorted into the comm, a sneer curling his lipplates.

**"What the frag game are you two playing?" ** He snarled. **"Axil's gonna be blind for life and you two are treating it like a joke."**

**"Sandy, this isn't a joke, I'm worried about him."** Ratchet insisted. **"I'm scared he might try something." **

Sandy didn't say anything as he glanced off to the side subconsciously, his jaw set.

**"Sandstorm what happened." **Ratchet demanded.

**"He made a comment about we'd be better off without him."** Sandy muttered.

**"Fraggit, I knew it!"** Ratchet snarled with enough aggression to catch Sandstorm off guard. **"I knew it! Chrome won't listen to me but I knew it! Don't let him out of your sight!"**

**"I'm not gonna sparkling sit him!" **Sandstorm snapped. **"He already hates how much he has to depend on us! You think it will put him in a better mood knowing that we're watching him 24/7?!"**

**"Would you prefer he attempts suicide!"**

Sandy went silent before a spark deep sigh escaped him.

**"Alright… I'll watch him."** He said after a moment. **"He won't like it but I'll make sure somebody keeps an optic on him."**

**"At all times, Sandy I've never been more serious in my life."**

**"Alright alright! I get it… I trust you." **Sandy muttered. Ratchet skipped a vent across the comm. like he was surprised. **"I'll watch him."**

**"Maybe you can convince Chrome, he sure doesn't believe me…"** Ratchet said, trailing off miserably.

"Sandstorm!"

**"Hold on Ratch."** Sandy said as he shot to his peds and spun to see Eight standing in the doorway and a look of pure panic on the thin mech's faceplates.

"What's wrong?" Sandstorm asked, armor flaring at the raw terror coming off the factory mech in waves.

"Axil's gone."

"What?!"

Eight jerked back like he expected to he hit but Sandy couldn't back off.

"What do you mean he's gone! He was in recharge half a joor ago!" Sandy yelled. The mech instantly shielded away, thing armor clamped tight against his frame in fear.

"I left for a moment, Rock and Clout are back and when I went to check on him he was gone." Eight stammered, red optics wide as they darted toward the ground to avoid Sandy's.

"Find him!" Sandy barked, brushing past the mech and back inside the old barracks. "We have to find him!"

* * *

**And cliffy! Muahahaha! Hopefully the next chapter will be out sooner then this one, no family drama to distract me. Another fic I'm in the middle of writing but no family drama. Yeesh... **

**Love you all and see you next time!**


	28. Accusation

**You guys have NO possible way of knowing how excited about this chapter I am. My favorite moment has perfectly lined up with the end of this chapter and I'm on a role here! Also, i mentioned a while ago that because I changed my mind about killing Axil, i get to introduce a few more familiar faces into my world. They get mentioned here. Man i am so pumped for what's coming up! Bomb shelter is up and food is stalked for the coming nuclear war that will we waged over what i plan on doing. Channel inner Decepticon again. Or inner Avalon, which is worse. **

**Hee hee!**

**Reviews!**

**Anodythe: I'm sure your not the only one. I live very much so by the unwritten rule of 'the more I like someone, the more i push them'. And then there's just something about a villain that thinks he's in the right and doesn't see what he's doing is just a little sadistic. **

**Guest: Meh, he's still got some hard times but... ;)**

**Sunstreaker's Squishy: Yes, it's serial number.**

**DawnfireJazz: Yeah, I'm horrible to him.**

**AutobotGuy710: Hee hee, you're gonna love this...**

**Guest: 'Yes yes, feed me your tears of anguish' to quote my best friend. **

**Skyice98: Yeah, he'll be fine. He figures out jsut how far he can push himself. **

**InterstellarGazer: Awesome, I'll try to get more of those moments in then. I love feed back like that. **

**And on with teh chapter!**

**Oh, quick warning, it mentions animal testing but nothing graphic and it's so offhandedly you might miss it. **

* * *

"Find him!" Sandy barked, brushing past Eight and back inside the old barracks. "We have to find him!"

"What's going on?" Rock asked as the big miner walked up. Sandy instantly flared his armor in warning as his brother walked up on his other side. They had butted helms before but this time there was no way in pit he was backing down. "Eight ran outt'a here like his tailpipe was on fire."

"Axil's missing, we have to find him." Sandy growled. "He couldn't have gone far."

"And that's why you've gone and terrorized Eight?" Rock demanded, "Primus mech you need to-"

"Our medic thinks he might try and do something glitched, now _move!"_ Sandstorm snarled.

"What are you talking about Sandstorm." Clout demanded.

"I mean he might deactivate himself!"

"What! Not Axil." Clout objected.

"I'm serious. Now if you're not going to help get the frag out of my way." Sandy snarled before shoving between the two. Clout caught his shoulder guard, turning with him and Sandy nearly decked the mech right then and there.

"He's smart, he probably got farther then we think." Clout said before brushing past Sandy and out the door, leaving the tan mech to stare after him in surprise.

"He's right." Rock said after a moment. "That mech's too smart for his own good. We'll check the road and walkways."

"I'll check the alley." Eight mumbled. "He might have slipped out while you were on the comm."

"Go." Rock ordered and the thin mech bolted. Without another word the two other miners also left and Sandstorm cycled air once to try and calm himself but he couldn't help but fear the worse. He'd seen far too many terminated mechs, there was no way in pit he was going to find Axil offline.

He snarled more to himself then anything and bolted outside, running around the edge of the building into a side alley.

"Think Sandy think!"He hissed to himself, glancing around. "Axil's a fraggin genius. He's blind, but he's a fraggin genius. Where the frag would he go."

Sandy grinned and bolted for the rusty ladder bolted to the building across the alley. While he had issues making the jump, Axil was far more agile then him.

But he was blind.

"Since when has that stopped him…" Sandy muttered as he started up at the rusted old thing and started climbing.

The building was only a single story but it was more than high enough for his comfort. Making the jump across to their building was even harder and it took a moment before he was ready to stand on the slanted roof.

As soon as he did he saw the figure silhouetted against the smokestacks that once heated the building.

"Axil?"

"Kinda hoping you wouldn't find me right a ways." The mech mumbled.

"You scared the slag out of us." Sandy replied, quickly sending the others a comm that he'd found Axil. "How did you even get up here."

The mech tapped the side of his helm and Sandstorm snorted.

"You're hearing, that's right." He said, shaking his helm. "What are you doing up here?"

"Just… needed a bit of space." Axil continued, still having yet to even glance in Sandstorm's direction.

"Yeah sure… just… don't… don't take off like that… again." Sandy stammered and Axil chuckled.

"Whatever you say boss." He replied, shaking his helm before finally glancing in Sandstorm's direction. The tan miner dropped his optics, his tanks churning at the sight of the mech's mangled faceplates. The horrible wounds had started to heal but the scars would never fully assimilate back into his faceplates. His optics would always remain a mass of weld scars.

When Axil didn't say anything he glanced up only to see the mech staring off into the distance again.

"Talk to you tomorrow Sandy." Axil said after a moment and the tan mech frowned before nodding at the abrupt dismissal. And remembering Axil couldn't see him.

"Yeah. Sure." Sandy muttered before turning and heading back down to the barracks. Only then he remembered about Ratchet.

"**-going on! Sandy answer me fraggit!"**

"**Sorry, momentary panic." **Sandy explained as he reopened the comm and slumped down onto his berth. He shifted slightly to keep the doorway in sight and leaned back against the wall.

"**I will repeat myself then, what the frag is going on!"**

"**Axil wanted some time alone on the roof and I panicked."** Sandy said with a sigh, examining a razor sharp claw absently. **"Eight said he disappeared and I thought the worse."**

"**Eight? What is that, a serial number?"**

"**Yes."** Sandy growled, armor flaring even if Ratchet couldn't see it. **"Forty-eight dash bee six if you want his full designation."**

"**Drones don't have des-"**

"**Eight's not a drone!" ** Sandstorm spat, slamming a fisted servo back against the wall he was leaning against only to hiss a curse and cradle his servo to his chassis. Fragging place survived the factory explosion, course it was nearly invincible **"He's a factory worker, they're even worse off than drones. He's never had a designation and if word ever got out we were calling him anything other than his SN, he'd get shot." **

"**I'm sorry, I forgot about that." **Ratchet said after a moment.

"**Forget it, you don't know him so I wouldn't expect you to know."** Sandy said with a sigh. **"Look, Axil's fine for the moment, I'll make sure we keep an optic on him."**

"**I'll keep trying to talk to Chrome." **Ratchet replied. **"Oh, we just pulled up to the new place. Wow, Focus really knows how to pick 'em."**

"**Ugly place?"**

"**Looks like scraplets got to it before the acid rain did." **

"**Home sweet home huh?"** Sandy asked with a chuckle.

"**It isn't in Iacon and it's not the medbay. The place is fabulous." **Ratchet said, no sarcasm intended.

"**Goodnight Ratch. See you back at the mine."**

"**You too Sandy."**

Sandy shut the comm with a smirk on his faceplates before it morphed into a frown. His gaze shifted upward, toward the roof where he could detect Axil's spark signature despite the heavy piping from the boilers blocking most of the signal.

He didn't even shutter his optics till he saw Axil walk in and curl up on his berth almost three joors later.

xxXXxx

"Ratchet!" Focus yelled, bursting through the door making Ratchet jump and almost mess up his paint.

"Primus mech, you'll give me a spark attack!" Ratchet snapped, sitting back down at the tiny table they had shoved in a corner of the apartment. There was only a single berth room and a scary excuse of a washrack other than the main room. Focus had already hung a curtain up at the back of the main room as his own private area and insisted that Ratchet take the berthroom, claiming he didn't feel like moving what little stuff he had brought over from the old place. Despite the tight fit, it was starting to feel like a home even though Ratchet had only been there for an orn.

Focus winced at the remainder before he perked right up, white blue optics glowing.

"You'll never believe it!" Focus said, all but vibrating with excitement before pausing. "What are you doing?"

"I saw Nova today and she gave me grief for only being grey." Ratchet explained before returning to painting his bracer his old, florescent shade of yellow. "She said I had to at least do some of my armor yellow or she'd do it herself."

Focus shuddered before grinning.

"She would to. Wack you upside the helm with a paint can. Now guess. You'll never guess what."

"You got your crossed?" Ratchet asked with a smirk, eyeing the outline of the red cross on his friend's shoulder guard.

"What? No. Better. Way way better. I-"Focus took a deep vent before forcing himself to relax, his optics locked on Ratchet's red ones. "I think I know how Axil can see again."

Ratchet glanced back up at the pale green mech to give him a smoldering glare before returning to his painting, a low rumble in his engine.

"That's not funny." He growled, forcing his armor flat so it was easier to paint.

"I swear to Primus I'm not joking around." Focus said, taking a few steps forward to spread his digits over the table. "I swear I found out something that might help him. I don't know, but it might."

Ratchet glanced at his friend before sighing, setting the paintbrush aside to focus on the mech.

"What."

Focus yanked the other chair out and plopped down, meshing his digits together in front of him.

"You know I met up with Quicklight right?"

Ratchet nodded.

"Well we went to a café. Small place but good energon. Anyways, we were talking, catching up when I overheard a pair of mechs at the table across and down from us talking." Focus said, barely pausing to vent in-between words. "They mentioned something about a subjects self-repair had been improved by almost six hundred percent and that recovery time was halved."

"I walked over because I was curious." Focus said with a shrug. "They were in engineering and were talking about their latest tests to improve damage repair time and efficiency. They called it cybernetic regeneration. Like having self-repair nanites on high grade, then given a straight shot of nitrous oxide. They said that they had been working on it for a few groons and that it was in final testing phases. They were using live turbofoxes, creating a wound that normally would be fatal, putting it in stasis, then in this CR chamber of theirs and within a joor, it would be back up and running, not even a scar to show for it."

"His damage isn't to the surface." Ratchet said with a frown, glancing back down at his bracer. "It's circuitry. Vital circuitry."

"And it does that as well. They think they might even be able to reverse spark damage." Focus continued without missing a beat.

"That's impossible." Ratchet deadpanned, all his attention of Focus.

"And if it can do that, it can repair optical circuitry." Focus continued. "I may or may not have brought up Axil-"

"You what?!" Ratchet yelled in alarm.

"Woah! Calm down! I said a friend of a friend of mine was blinded." Focus said, servos up in surrender. "I didn't even say your designation."

"Go on."

"I said that he'd been blinded with acid. I don't know the details obviously, but the one got all excited, saying that it might be the case they need to make this CR technology go public."

"You said they were engineers."

"The one is, the other's a freaking genius with degrees in medical, engineering, and everything in between including some space related stuff that I literally have no idea what is has to do with any of this." Focus said, rolling his optics.

"What are their designations?" Ratchet asked, a warm feeling building in his spark and it wasn't selion. Hope that just maybe, the dark grey mech had a chance.

"Wheeljack and Perceptor." Focus replied. "We can go to the 'bay, tell Chrome-"

"No." Ratchet interrupted, shaking his helm. "It's experimental, he'll refuse."

"It could cure Axil though!" Focus protested. "Why would he-"

"Like I said, we disagreed about things that involve Axil." Ratchet said. "He won't even listen to me. But I'll keep it in mind. You have their comms?"

"Yep." Focus replied, databursting Ratchet the frequencies. "They said they would look forward to hearing from you."

"I'm sure they will." Ratchet mumbled, lost in thought.

ooOOoo

"I can't do this." Ratchet said, staring at the gaping hole in the cliff side.

"Wha' ya talkin' 'bout." Sterling asked, glancing at the mech beside him.

"I can't. Seriously. I can't do this." Ratchet repeated, taking a step back even as he felt his core temp start to climb again. He shuttered his optics and forced a few cool cycles of air though his frame before refocusing on the smirk on Sterling's faceplates. "What."

"If Ah recall right, ya crawled intah ah 'alf collapsed mine tah get ah bunch o' violent strangers out." Sterling said, his smirk splitting into a grin.

"That was different." Ratchet said with a scowl. "That was before I found out if I so much as _coughed_ to hard, I'll keel over!"

"Ratch-"

"I'm serious Sterling! This is completely freaking me out!" Ratchet repeated, taking another step back. Sterling sighed, dragging a servo down his faceplates before turning back to Ratchet.

"Ya 'ave tah Ratchet. All jokes aside, ya 'alf tah pull ya weight." Sterling said softly.

"I know I know…" Ratchet mumbled, rubbing the side of his neck. It was a nervous habit he'd picked up ever since Sterling injected him with the prex. "I just…"

Sterling didn't say anything and Ratchet hissed air though his vents, glancing away. He knew Sterling was right. He'd been sitting on his aft recovering for too long, he had to get moving. He took another cycle of air before glaring at the mine entrance.

He was one of the gang. He had to do this.

Fraggit.

He stalked toward the entrance, making it just inside the mine before his vents seized. The ceiling was suddenly so much closer despite the fact he was only three feet taller then before and even the fact that Carbon had a good five feet of clearance did little to help.

"Ya right?" Sterling asked and Ratchet nearly jumped out if his armor.

"No go away." Ratchet snapped, glancing up at the ceiling and the far to close walls. The last thing he wanted was the big mech beside him.

"Ya sure?" Sterling repeated but he did back off.

Ratchet didn't answer but walked farther into the mine, all too aware of Sterling behind him. Eventually though the mine curved toward the old cavern and Ratchet lost sight of the outside. He spun towered the exit and his vents seized at the momentary panic.

"Ratchet?" Sterling asked again as Ratchet tensed. "Ya sure ya 'right?"

"Fabulous." Ratchet replied, helm snapping to the side as he realised something. "Why are the walls moving."

"They're not." Sterling said, helm cocked to the side in confusion.

"Oh yes they are." Ratchet said, feeling everything tighten around him. The mine, his frame, his spark...

"Ratchet!"

The ground was to close and he realised he was on his kneebolts moments before the heat started to burn through his frame.

No! He would not let this win!

He tuned all his attention inward, letting his frame collapse into Sterling's arms as he raced through his coding, manually forcing his vents open. He gasped, sucking in the cool air of the mine and forced himself to keep cycling despite the false warnings flooding his vison that his spark would freeze.

The white hot vice on his spark started to relax and he refocused on the outside world, optics refocusing on Sterling's concerned features.

"Frag…" He rasped, letting the bigger mech help him sit up.

"Ya right?" Sterling asked again. "Ya didn't 'it tah ground but ya blacked out fo' ah klick."

"Yeah… just…" Ratchet panted. His frame was still far too warm but that vice around his spark wasn't getting tighter and he finally released his manual hold on his vents.

He skipped a vent letting them switch back to auto and he coughed before getting everything back under control. He let Sterling haul him to his peds, swaying slightly before he took a step away from Sterling, cycling more air before he felt good enough to keep pushing his luck.

"Come on." Sterling said, taking the lead farther into the mine and Ratchet hesitated, unable to force himself forward. "Orn's gonna be over befo' ya even get down there."

"It's taken me two orns to get this far, give me a break." Ratchet mumbled.

Sterling turned to frown at him and Ratchet winced.

"Right. Sorry." He said, glancing away. Another place and he would never have gotten out of that shaft, let alone even had a chance to recover. "I never got a chance to thank you for going after me."

"Don't bother." Sterling replied. "Would 'ave done tah same fo' anyone."

"Still. I owe you." Ratchet insisted.

"Then get down there." Sterling said with a smirk.

Ratchet hesitantly returned it before shaking his armor to resettle it and followed the silver mech into the old cavern.

The open space helped him relax a bit but far too soon they were in the small, hollow opening behind the cliff wall that led down into the new cavern and that vice started to tighten again. He hesitated just before the cables before grabbing one and sliding down.

He hit the ground and immediately moved out of the way as Sterling slid down as well. The air was much cooler down here and Ratchet let the cold air cycle though his systems.

"Ain't so bad is it?" Sterling as he came up behind Ratchet.

"Sure." He said with a scowl. Having a couple thousand megatons of metal overhelm wasn't so bad either.

"Ratchet?!"

The grey mech turned toward the sound of his designation to see a grinning Jigsaw watching him from up some scaffolding. "Primus you look different!"

"Feel different." Ratchet replied with a grin, running a servo over his neon yellow bracer. Most of his frame was still the basic grey it had come in, but he'd repainted parts of his bracers and lower legs yellow as well as a few accents on his helm and thighs.

"It's good to be back." He continued with a grin up at the mech.

"I'll say, last I saw you, you were still in that royal's frame." The mech continued, turning to climb down the scaffolding and walk over.

"Jigsaw!"

The grey mech flinched before shooting a dark look over his shoulder guard.

"Aw give me a break Dusty!" He snapped. "Ratchet's back."

Ratchet stiffened as the red mech walked around one of the crystals, red optics locking onto him.

They were emotionless.

Ratchet knew that Dusty was furious with him but that blank look… it was like he was looking right though him.

"So you did survive." Dust said, optics finally shifting to acknowledge him. Sterling growled behind him and Ratchet turned to shake his helm.

"Don't start, it's not worth it." He mumbled before turning back to face Dusty. "Chrome's given me a mostly clean bill of health. I'm still finding my limits but-"

"Good. We're way behind because we had to haul your aft out of that mess." Dusty snapped. Ratchet couldn't hide the flinch as he shifted back half a step.

"Dust-"

"Get back to work." The red mech spat before turning on his ped and stalking off. Sterling clapped Ratchet on the back and the mech jumped.

"Welcome back tah Pit." Sterling said with an optic roll before gesturing Ratchet forward.

"Has he been like this the whole time?" Ratchet asked quietly, tossing a loose salute in Ironlock's direction when the shy mech gave him a grin.

"Ya, mech's been ah real pain in tah aft." Sterling said with a shrug. "Ain't tah worse boss Ah've 'ad but…"

"I need to talk to him."

Sterling shook his helm.

"Bad idea mech." He said. "Let 'em beh."

But Ratchet had already turned around and started after Dusty.

"Ah'll send ya parts tah Chrome!" Sterling called after him.

"Don't bother, he's fragged at me as well." Ratchet shot back with a grin. Sterling spun around to give him a dumb founded look and Ratchet shook his helm before tapping the side his helm, level with his optics. Sterling winced before nodding in understanding.

Ratchet turned back to where he was trying to follow Dusty.

"What do you want royal."

Ratchet jumped before spinning around, then up, to see Dusty standing on a scaffold and glaring at him.

"We need to talk." Ratchet said, looking up at Dusty.

"What's to talk about." Dusty snapped, shifting his position slightly.

"Dusty, please." Ratchet asked. He jumped back when the mech abruptly swung over the railing, easily jumping the 30 feet down to the ground. Despite the fact that Ratchet now stood a good three feet taller than Dusty, the red miner still managed to loom over him.

"I meant to tell you Dusty, I swear." Ratchet said, just barely able to hold the mech's piercing gaze. "I have _nothing_ to do with Avalon, you have to believe me! I was going to tell you!"

"What, that your sire has the energon of thousands of mechs on his servos?" Dusty demanded. "Sorry _Ratchet_, but I already knew that. My sire is one of them."

"I'm not ignorant of what he's done but I had nothing to do with it! I'm one of you!" Ratchet insisted.

"_You_ will never be one of us." Dusty spat. "You think just because Chrome was an _aft_ and dumped your guttering spark into some MTO frame he got off the assembly line makes you one of us? What, you're now the same shoddy, worthless scrap metal as the rest of us!"

"Dusty-"

"_You_ are a royal." He snarled, jabbing a digit against Ratchet's chassis. "A gold optic Elite with a polished chassis that thinks just because he vents in a little selion makes us the same energon and metal."

He jabbed his digit against Ratchet again, hard enough that the taller mech took a step back.

"You think you can go prancing around down here and the upper class won't squawk about it." He continued. "Well they did. Axil is _blind_ because of you!"

"Dusty I didn't… I never asked… He hadn't bothered me in groons, I didn't think he'd…" Ratchet stammered uselessly. "I didn't mean for Axil to get hurt."

"Sorry doesn't mean frag down here." Dusty snarled. "Ya might as well have just shot him yourself! Would have saved him the torture and either way, his energon is on your servos!"

Ratchet reared back in horror as he stared at the mech in shock, his processor reeling as medical coding locked onto that statement as it looped through his processor. His frame seized, the coding screaming in his audios even as the horror of what he had done sent him to his kneebolts.

He tried telling himself that it wasn't his fault, that he couldn't have known that Avalon would go after Axil. Even though he knew everyone blamed him, nobody had said it so blatantly and it felt like a punch to the tanks.

_Ya might as well have just shot him yourself!_

But the other part said that he knew what his sire was capable of. Knew that his sire would do _anything_ to remain in power.

That if he had never gotten involved with the miners, stayed home and become a politician like his sire wanted, none of this would have happened. Nobody would have gotten hurt.

Avalon would have left his friends alone.

Would have left Axil alone.

Axil.

Axil.

Oh Primus, Axil…

It was all his fault.

xxXXxx

Ironlock glanced up in confusion when Dusty stormed past him with the snarling EM field of a sparked predicon. Armor flared till protoform showed, shoulder guards hunched, servo fisted so tightly the joints could crack…

But those optics.

He had never seen someone so livid with utter furry that he stared after Dusty's retreating back for a moment before realising something.

He'd been yelling at Ratchet.

A sense of dread set in and he slid from his perch on top of a crystal, landing nearly silently despite his bulky frame. Glancing back in Dusty's direction he started off though the crystals.

Somehow finding Ratchet on the ground, frame locked up in a selion attack, didn't surprise him so much as sadden him. He immediately reached for the Prexilin every miner carried on them and injected the potent drug into the mech's bracer counting on the fact that they were almost identical in mass to keep him from accidentally overdosing the apprentice.

"Sterling!" He bellowed, his usually quiet voice booming though the cavern and making the crystals sing as he gently cradled the young mech's helm in his lap. His optics were online, but unfocused, vents coming far too fast and his entire frame was trembling. Something was wrong.

"Frag Lock, didn't know ya 'ad ah voice." Sterling said as he came flying around the corner. "Wha- aw frag, Ah'm gonna murder Dusty fo' this."

"It's not selion." Ironlock interrupted. "Not all of it. It's coding."

"Wha' ya talkin' 'bout." Sterling demanded even as he subspaced a bottle of prex.

"Already gave him some." Ironlock continued, not even sparing the silver mech a glance. "Helped a little but this is coding."

"Medical." Sterling said before slamming his fist into the ground with a curse. "The frack did Dusty say tah lock 'im up like this."

"I don't know but he needs to get to Chrome." Ironlock said before easily scooping the mech up into his arms.

"Chrome's gonna blow a fuse." Sterling growled as he followed the other mech out of the mine.

xxXXxx

_Error_

_Error_

_Error_

_Erro-_

"_an' shut up already."_

Ratchet winced as the annoying flashing in his HUD stopped, the irritated sound of Sterling filling his process-

Wait, Sterling?!

A soft chuckle came across the hardline connection as the silver mech heard everything.

"_Ah may not beh ah medic Ratch, but Ah do know codin'. Relax, Chrome broke ya out o' tah loop, Ah'm just sparklin' sittin' ya while 'ee tears Dusty ah knew one."_ Sterling said. _"An' befo' ya even start, it ain't ya fault 'bout Axil. Ya may 'ave know it was possible but ya couldn't 'ave known he'd go through with it." _

"_I did though."_Ratchet replied. _"I knew he might-"_

"_Ah knew Ah'd loose mah sire tah ah driller, Ah knew meh an' Carmine never stood ah chance getting sparked, ah knew Ah'd never get out o' tah mines, an' Ah know fo' ah fact Ah'll terminate underground."_ Sterling interrupted. _"Don' mean Ah can change any o' it." _

Ratchet was silent until Sterling nudged him over the connection.

"_An' none o' its mah fault either. Things 'appen Ratch tha' ya can' control. Wha' other mechs do is an example. Now online so Ah can pay 'ttention tah Chrome."_

Ratchet couldn't help but laugh as Sterling retreated and he rebooted.

"I'm getting really sick and tired of onlining all the time to stare at this ceiling." He said as his optics refocused.

"Join tah club." Sterling said with a low laugh as Ratchet carefully unplugged the datacord and passed it back to the silver mech. Sterling neatly folded it back into his bracer before turning to look over his shoulder guard at Chrome office.

Muffled yelling was coming from it and Ratchet frowned as he carefully sat up.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Chrome said somethin' bout ya codin' was too tight." Sterling said, not even looking at Ratchet. "Tha' it some'ow triggered something' an' ya locked up. Course, tha' caused ah selion 'ttack so weh 'auled ya back 'ere."

"Great." Ratchet mumbled, dragging a servo down his faceplates. "Wait, you said my coding was too tight? What do you mean?"

"Dunno wha' 'ee ment with ya but mah 'unter codin'?" Sterling said, turning back to Ratchet as the mech nodded. "Tha' was tight codin'. Completely controlled meh. When Ah bonded tah Carmine, some'ow tah spark bond loosened tah codin'. Ah can control it far easier then befo'."

"That was you in control?" Ratchet asked in a mixture of awe and horror. Sterling pinned his armor, flinching slightly.

"Let's just say tha' normal 'unters don't give a frag 'bout tah bait." Sterling said carefully. "Ah would 'ave off'ed tha' thing faster but…"

"But what."

"Ah might 'ave off'ed ya in tah process. Only thing Ah can focus on is tah 'unt." Sterling said before roughly shaking his helm like he was trying to forget past memories. "But enough 'bout tah. Ya feelin' ok?"

Ratchet snorted, glancing away with a scowl.

"I was hoping to make 24 joors without having to wake up staring at you or Chrome." He said honestly, earning a chuckle from Sterling.

"Trust meh, Ah don't like 'avein' tah carry ya up 'ere all tah time either." He said with a shrug. "Ya'll get used tah it."

Ratchet sat up with a weak groan, cradling his still throbbing helm in his servos once he was upright and he felt Sterling rest a servo on his shoulder guard.

"Not ya fault Ratch."

Ratchet didn't say anything other than to lean in to the mech's servo.

"_I don't care!"_ Dusty yell shattered the silence as the office doors slid open and he stormed out. Chrome was hot his peds.

"Wha's goin'-"

"Stay out of this Sterling!" Dusty barked, spinning to jab a digit in the silver mech's direction.

"He has every right to this!" Chrome spat, grabbing Dusty's arm to spin him back to face the medic. "He owes his life to Ratchet just as much as you do."

"I owe him _nothing!"_ Dusty yelled, ripping away from Chrome.

"You owe him everything! Ratchet's the most valuable mech I've ever known, his skill can't be replaced-"

"He's so fraggin valuable then someone else will want him more." Dusty jumped in, his engine roaring with anger. "I want him off my mountain."

Abruptly he spun to Ratchet and the grey and yellow mech flinched, unable to hold that hate filled gaze.

"Ya hear that _royal_! Go back to where you came from!"

"Now 'old on Dusty," Sterling growled, armor also starting to flare. "Ya can't just throw 'im out."

"I have every right." Dusty hissed, taking a step toward the silver mech. "He gets one of my mechs terminated, I have every right to throw him out. One way ticket to Kaon!"

"Axil's still functional-" Chrome objected.

"Not for long and you know it." Dusty shot back. "He's gone and terminated Axil himself."

Ratchet flinched, his coding threatening to make him crash again but near silent words broke him out of it.

"Carbon ain't 'ere tah fight meh fo' ya." Sterling hissed, armor flexing along his back and shoulder guards in a far too familiar motion.

"You threating me Sterling Silver." Dusty challenged. "You threating you're boss."

"Mah boss terminated teh klick 'ee ordered us tah leave one o' us down tha' shaft as bait metal." Sterling hissed, his engine dying off to complete silence. That same terrifying silence from underground. "Ah don't know 'oo ya're but ya sure as Pit ain't tah Dusty Ah respected."

A moment of what Ratchet could only call fear flashed though Dusty's optics before they hardened again. Ratchet slid to his peds, ignoring the way the room pitched to get between Sterling and Dusty.

"Sterling stop it!" He demanded. "This isn't you. Now stand down."

To his shock Sterling didn't even acknowledge him, those earie white optics locked on the red mech in a predatory way as his armor clicked together softly.

"Sterling, back off." Chrome ordered, his armor still flared but not in anger anymore. His EM field was tight against him in fear. Fear of Sterling. "Sterling, I'm serious."

The silver mech shook his helm, engine coming back to life as his armor loosed.

"Leave. Ratchet. Alone." He hissed, optics still locked on Dusty. The red mech sneered.

"You don't tell me what to do." He snarled.

"But I do."

Everyone froze as the smooth, Elite class voice cut through the argument like a blade and as one, spun toward the mech casually leaning against the door post, golden optics locked on them with pure disgust. Ratchet felt every system in his frame freeze as nobody moved.

"Well well well, what do we have here." The mech purred as he straightened from against the doorway, the two big mechs on either side of him shifting their grip on their rifles. Sterling's reaction was a low snarl as he took a step forward. The Elite Guard in reply, had their rifles aimed at the silver mech instantly.

"All four of my favorite mechs all in one place."

To Ratchet's confusion, he locked optics with the silver mech in a blatant challenge and if Ratchet didn't know any better, was daring the mech to try something. Sterling backed down, armor suddenly flat against his stiff frame as he dropped his optics, his vents coming faster than normal. The silver mech's reaction confused Ratchet even more and when he glanced back at the mech, golden optics locked on him.

"If I had a solar grenade," Avalon said simply, "I'd drop it on this place and be rid of all four of you."

And Ratchet knew without a doubt the mech wasn't bluffing.

* * *

**YES! It's that moment we've all be waiting for! I needed to get all four in the same place so Avalon could just show upand bang! It worked by dumb flook.  
**

**And yes Dusty's an aft in this chapter. Chrome was last chapter, and next chapter Avalon gets to beat them all in 'aft of the year award'. **

**Ha! I'm so excited! *que recording of evil megatron laugh* you guys will HATE me.**

**As such I've already hit the bunker, see you all next week.**

**Love you guys! Read and Review!**


	29. Dominance

**YA-HOO! The moment we've all been waiting for! At least i sure have. I know AutobotGuy710 is as well as everyone who stuck with me from the original version i wrote oh so long ago. **

**So we've already discussed that Chrome and Dusty are jerks, and now Avalon's gonna make them look fabulous. Man I had SOO much fun writing this. It was hard, I'll admit, you get attached to your characters but it will so be worth it. **

**Just a reminder, 300 reviews is coming up (holy cow!) so when we hit that magic number, someone gets a oneshot! **

**OK, enough babbling, here we go!**

**KayleeChiara: Got your review just in time to respond. I love lookign forward to your reviews, they make me all fluffy inside. Yeah, I've been lookgin forward to writing Percy and Jack so we'll see how well that goes :)**

**DawnfireJazz: Oh trust me, it's gonna get messy. **

**Clarybell: Yeah he's gonna show up, i love his TFPrime version but i love his crazy-blowing-up-eveything-he-touches version in good old G1.**

**Guest: Oh, you'll love this then. **

**Sunstreaker's Squishy: yeah, I was thinking the Jaws theme. I have a funny feeling that after this, it wont be much of a question who's worse. **

**AutobotGuy710: *mad cackle* here she is! ha ha! i love this. **

**Skyice98: Yep. **

**Child of Jon snow: Love you too dear. You'll love me even more after this. **

**InterstellarGazer: Eh, he does eventually. But rigth now, he's got his own problems to deal with. **

**So this was a little rough getting out but it is still my favorite chapter as of yet. Hope you guys like! I'm hitting the bomb shelter...**

* * *

"What in Primus did you do to yourself." Avalon asked in disgust, optics drifting over Ratchet's frame like he'd found a spot of dirt on his gleaming armor.

"Nearly terminated." Ratchet said carefully despite the low growl building in his chassis.

"Chrome's work I'm guessing?" Avalon asked as his gaze slid to the medic.

"I owe him my life." Ratchet replied, wracking his processor to try and figure out what his sire was up to. "I owe them all my life."

"Yes, of course." Avalon continued easily, shooting a look at Ratchet before back to Chrome. "Where's the old frame."

Chrome skipped a vent as he avoided Avalon's demanded glare and Ratchet knew there was no way the medic could answer that without getting into a pit load of trouble.

"There was nothing of value left of it." Chrome said after a moment. "I stripped all I could to outfit the one he's in right now."

"Frame transfers are illegal Chrome, I shouldn't have to remind you of that." Avalon said, that dangerous smirk still on his face. At some silent order the two Guards turned toward Chrome, rifles powering up.

The medic stiffened in fear, servos half raised as he took a step away from Avalon.

"I did nothing illegal." He said but his voice wasn't nearly as strong as usual. "I bought the frame with credits we'd saved up-"

"And you expect me to believe you payed for a new frame yourself? Even with as cheap components as this, MTO frames still cost credits." Avalon interrupted.

"A friend payed off what I couldn't." Chrome said carefully. "It was bough legally-"

"It's an FST case Chrome, you won't win this." Avalon snapped. "You've pushed your luck too far."

"It's not an FST Avalon, I needed the transfer anyways." Ratchet interrupted, taking a step forward. "I'll show you the files myself, my spark was in the middle of a backup. It was perfect timing and completely legal."

Avalon glared at him, studying him before turning back to Chrome.

"Where's the rest of it." He demanded hotly.

"What do you mean. It's a basic MTO frame." Chrome asked but Avalon scoffed.

"The old frame. The one _I paid _for." He growled. "Where's the rest of it."

"It's not your frame, you lose possession of it as soon as a spark is placed in it." Chrome growled, showing the first signs of aggression since Avalon walked in. "Even you have to follow that law. Whatever's left of it belongs to Ratchet."

"You still haven't answered my question."

"I sold it." Ratchet spoke up again, knowing that his sire was trying to back the mech into a corner. "Whatever Chrome couldn't use in my new frame I told him he could sell to pay off his debt. Completely legal."

Avalon continued to glare at Ratchet as though he didn't believe him but Ratchet held his golden optics easily. Eventually the mech smirked and again at some silent signal, the Guards backed off.

"At least that's one thing you _can _do." Avalon said, still looking at Ratchet but the medic stiffened.

"What's that supposed to mean." Chrome demanded and Dusty reached out a servo to place on the medic's bracer.

"You must feel awful." Avalon continued, turning slightly to glance at Chrome over a shoulder guard. "Unable to do anything for that poor mech."

Chrome didn't response but Ratchet saw the way he stiffened and Dusty's grip on the mech tightened.

"You claim you're such a skilled medic but you can't even fix a pair of optics." Avalon continued before making a _tsk tsk_ sound.

"Leave 'em alone!" Sterling spat, engine snarling as he took a step toward the Elite. "Ya tah mech tha' blinded 'em! Ya know tha' aint normal damage!"

"I did no such thing." Avalon said in a cool tone. "I never laid a servo on that mech."

"Ya lyin' glitch-"

Ratchet grabbed his arm before the silver mech completely lost what little sanity he still had at this point.

"He's too smart for that, he got the Guard to do it. You'll never pin anything on him." Ratchet said, watching the smirk on Avalon's faceplates grow. The mech knew Ratchet was right and he turned back to Dusty, his armor flared pride.

"You're behind." He said simply but Dusty flinched like he had been slapped.

"Thing's happened sir." He said, optics on the floor.

"Ah, yes, Copper informed me of what happened." Avalon said, gaze sliding over to Ratchet. "You fell didn't you. That's why you needed the frame."

"The equipment was defective." Ratchet said. "It's not his fault."

"But it is his fault for stopping." Avalon said and Sterling's engine sputtered before snarling to life again. Ratchet grabbed his arm again before something could happen. "You were ahead Dusty. That's never happened before to you, has it."

"No sir."

"But then you had to throw that lead away." Avalon continued. "Had to throw it away to rescue my creation,-"

Dusty visibly flinched at the words.

"- take over another valuable mine for two orns and give up any lead you had. More so, you're behind again."

"Believe me when I say I regret the decision sir." Dusty snarled but his glare was directed toward Ratchet.

Avalon positively beamed as he spun to Ratchet.

"You never told them." He said, grinning from audio to audio. "You never told them who you were. Oh Ratchet, you really are glitched."

"My mistake was ever thinking you cared about me." Ratchet shot back. "All you ever cared about was the credits I would drag in by following your dream."

"And what have you accomplished here." Avalon asked, still freakishly calm as he spread his servos before him, taking in the smoldering glare Dusty had locked on Ratchet. "Your boss sure seems to like you."

Ratchet didn't know how to respond and Avalon turned back to Dusty.

"I assume you have every intention of running your gang ragged to get back on track."

"Yessir." Dusty replied.

"Now, about your blind mech." Avalon said and everyone stiffened. "Where is he."

"He's recovering." Dusty said levelly. "He's functional he just needs to rebuild his strenght-"

Avalon was suddenly in Dusty's personal space, looming over the smaller mech.

"He's _blind_ Dusty." Avalon hissed. "He's a waste of recourses and you know it. All he's good for is bait-"

"Don' ya _dare_ say it!" Sterling roared, wrenching free from Ratchet and making it half way across the room before Avalon gave him a look and the mech froze. Ratchet's optics snapped to the silver mech in dumb shock that one, he was _glitched_ enough to attack Avalon and two, for _not_ attacking the Elite. His gaze shifted to Avalon to see the mech watching him with a knowing smirk. He obviously knew what was going on and was deliberately baiting Sterling. It was… wrong. Something was very wrong and Avalon was the cause.

"Don't say what?" Avalon asked calmly. "That he's nothing but bait metal?"

Sterling snarled, tensing but he didn't move.

"You don't like that term do you." Avalon asked, deliberately walking well into Sterling's reach. Again Ratchet expected the mech to attack Avalon but Sterling remained frozen in place, white optics filled with rage and locked on the golden pair before him.

The Elite Guards still had their rifles trained on Sterling but Ratchet knew that would never stop the mech before he ripped Avalon's spark out his throat.

"Get used to it Sterling." Avalon said, completely unfazed by the miner looming over him and itching to rip him apart. "That's all you'll ever be. A bunch of bait metal drones that so much as look in the wrong direction and I'll have you all shipped out to Kaon. If I'm feeling generous."

"You told the reporters about the Omega." Dusty accused. "Didn't you. Vector sad that the Prime sent him because he owed Sterling. You wanted to see us hurt someone."

"Ah, was wondering what happened to that Omega." Avalon said with a sneer. "Complete waste of time." He added, deliberately glancing at Ratchet. "Trion must have talked him into it."

Ratchet felt a faint smirk pull at his lip plates. Chrome had told him about Omega Vector and how he'd apparently been sent to pay off Sentinel's debt to Sterling for rescuing Orion. The fact that Sterling hadn't intended to get Orion out of there didn't seem to matter.

"Sounds like you and the Prime ain't seeing optic to optic on some things." Ratchet said despite the murderous look Avalon gave him. "The Prime not taking your _worthy_ advice? And you expect a couple of glitch case miner to listen to you when your precision Prime's willing to take our side?"

Ratchet was expecting the slap and easily ducked out of the way to give another triumphant smirk to Avalon.

"Finding it harder to hit someone that's not below you?" He asked, enjoying this far too much. "I'm not some weakling you can beat on whenever something doesn't go according to plans Avalon! Not anymore! You'll have to find someone poor scrap to blame. You got enough mechs up top you can blame because of the Prime's taking our side, you're in a lot of trouble."

Something about Avalon changed. Ratchet didn't know what it was but when the mech looked at him again, Ratchet felt his spark freeze. It was the same look that had frozen Sterling in his tracks.

"It's time you learnt your place in society." Avalon hissed in a low, dangerous voice. "The Prime cares nothing about you and the only reason he ever did anything was because that Council mech told him to. Perhaps blinding your mech wasn't enough of a lesson. Maybe someone needs to _terminate_ before you realise just how little you're really worth."

Ratchet stiffened in alarm, processor racing to try and remember if Sandstorm was with Axil. The tan mech was more than capable of protecting himself, but with Axil to defend, he didn't stand a chance. The Elite Guard were ruthless.

Avalon chuckled darkly, that cruel smirk pulling at his lip plates again before he turned to Sterling.

"Maybe I needed to hurt someone else." He said, optics drifting over to Ratchet to gauge his reaction. "Someone everyone respects for his strength."

"Avalon-" Ratchet started to say, dread building in his tanks. Avalon wasn't stupid enough to shoot Sterling right here and now… was he?

"Mute it!" Avalon spat. "This is what real power is!"

He spun back to Sterling, gold optics flashing as he jabbed a digit at the ground. "Get on the ground slave!"

Sterling reared back, armor flaring but then his optics abruptly filled with raw fear. To Ratchet's utter horror, the mech slowly dropped to first one kneebolt, then the other. His optics never left Avalon though as he kneeled before the mech.

"_That's_ power." Avalon snarled, turning back to Ratchet. "Loyalty will only get you so far _Ratchet_.You see how they look at me!"

Ratchet forced his gaze up to look at Chrome and Dusty. Chrome wouldn't even look at him, jaw set and his optics locked on the ground. Dusty did meet his optics though and they were filled with a mixture of hate and terror.

"Loyalty will not get you that kind of respect." Avalon said.

"Don't do this Avalon." Ratchet all but begged, unable to even look at Sterling. "Please, don't do this."

"Axil was weak, he's nothing to you." Avalon continued without missing a beat as he started to circle Sterling, watching him like a turbofox about to attack. Sterling continued to stare straight ahead, frame vibrating with fury as his servos fisted so tightly at his sides that Ratchet heard the joints groan. "But break the strongest, and the weak follow."

"That your goal in life?" Ratchet asked as Avalon stopped directly in front of him. "To beat everyone down so you can walk over them. Sterling's a better mech then you ever will be! They all are! Chrome and Sterling, and yes Dusty, mean more to me then you ever did!"

"I thought you were smart Ratchet." Avalon shot back. "I though finding that mech on your doorstep would make you realises that you are all worthless to me!"

"They are not worthless." Ratchet snarled, feeling his energon boil. They'd had this argument before. The only difference was that now Ratchet was the one looming over his sire. "They are the same as us-"

"Don't you dare-" Avalon started to say.

"-same as you!"

"-compare me to them!" Avalon finished at a roar. "They are nothing like me and never will be! Their place in society is scarping the floor begging for my forgiveness and singing my praises that I don't wipe them off the face of the planet!"

Avalon spun, his servo twisting into a lethal looking pistol and leveled it at the back of Sterling's helm. Ratchet's spark froze, all his memory fluxes coming to life before him in horrible detail. Sterling kneeling before a mech, a gun pressed against his helm, energon everywhere, everyone he ever cared about sprawled across the floor, and him powerless to do anything.

"Go on slave." Avalon snarled, pressing the gun against Sterling's helm. "Give me a good reason not to execute you right here, right now. Go on, beg for your worthless life!"

Sterling's armor tightened before loosening in a shiver. But Ratchet knew better. He'd seen the mech's armor ripple like that underground when he fought the driller.

"Ah…" Sterling cut himself off, gritting his denta before hissing though his vents. "Ah 'ave ah mate."

"Go on." Avalon said with a smirk as the gun powered up loudly in the spark stopping silence.

"Please, Ah did wha' ya want." Sterling hissed as he continued to tremble.

"And you don't want anything to happen to her." Avalon said with a sneer. "How pathetic."

He turned back to Ratchet, optics glowing with triumphant and pride as he kept the gun on Sterling.

"This is all they will ever be." Avalon snarled. "This is their duty. To _serve _me. To _serve_ Cybertron and give their lives for the good of society."

"Good of society my aft!" Ratchet spat.

"You could have been at the top." Avalon continued like he hadn't been interrupted. "You could have had whatever you wanted handed to you on a silver platter. You turned you back on a life these sparked drones would murder for. You've got the potential to be a brilliant medic and all they are doing is using you for your skill. You are nothing to them."

"If they didn't care about they wouldn't have risked their lives for me." Ratchet snarled, not liking the change in topic. "I've earned their friendship and loyalty, that is worth more to me than any amount of credits you or anyone could offer me."

"And yet I can tell from Dusty's face that he would be perfectly happy if you happened to have an accident with the Guard." Avalon said with a smirk before walking over to stand in front of the red miner. "Isn't that right Dusty? Someone's a little to trigger happy perhaps?"

The red mech didn't flinch but he didn't say anything either as his optics remained locked on the ground.

"I asked you a question." Avalon said in a low voice.

Dusty didn't even look at him as he trembled in anger. Avalon scowled at the mech before spinning, violently slapping Sterling across the faceplates. The silver mech's helm snapped to the side painfully but the only sound he made was a low snarl in his throat as Avalon's slim digits gouged his cheekplate. Energon dripped from the shallow gashes and beaded along his jawline before a single drop fell to splatter on his chassis.

"I asked you a question Bait!" Avalon roared.

"What do you want me to say!" Dusty demanded, finally looking at Avalon. "You humiliate me, you humiliate my mechs, you've taken everything from us, what do you want Avalon!"

Avalon took another step forward so he was chassis to chassis with Dusty.

"Answer the question." He hissed.

Dusty seemed to hesitate, almost confused, before his gaze slid over to Ratchet and hardened.

"Yes."

Ratchet glanced away, ignoring the spike of pain that shot through his spark. No matter what happened here, he knew that he would never be welcomed back. Not after his sire ripped apart everything he had tried so hard to accomplish.

"But I would rather rip your spark out myself." Dusty continued, murder-filled optics lifting to lock onto Avalon's golden ones . "He may have lied to us and I may hate him but he never hurt us. He never once made us feel like utter slag and he _never made examples of us._"

Ratchet jerked back at the red miner's statement as he hesitantly reached out to Sterling, brushing his digits against his flared armor in some kind of silent support. The mech's plating was ice cold, like a terminated frame, and Ratchet jerked back like he'd been shocked, cradling his servo to his chassis.

"What did you do to him." Ratchet demanded, glaring at Avalon.

"He did it himself." Avalon said simply, turning back to Ratchet. "I never forced a string of that hunter coding into his processor. He did it himself."

A million thoughts raced through Ratchet's processor. That hunter coding made him dangerous, made him uncontrollable. Why would Avalon let him do something that would make him so dangerous? The mech was a bomb waiting to go off. He was incontrollable-

And then Ratchet realised it.

"Avalon don't-" Ratchet stammered, optics wide with fear. Sterling had almost attacked Sentinel once before in anger. Now Avalon was stripping him of his pride, one of the only things Ratchet knew the silver mech still had, and yet Sterling was on his kneebolts before the Elite, trembling with what must have been uncontrollable rage. Sterling would rip Avalon apart before the two Elite Guards could even pull the trigger. Something was keeping Sterling on his kneebolts and Avalon knew it.

There was only one possible explanation for it.

"Avalon I'm begging you don't do this." Ratchet repeated.

"You can't even begin to image what I am capable of doing and what I can get away with." Avalon said with that deadly smirk, reaching out to pat Sterling on the helm like a pet of some kind. Ratchet's tanks heaved at the blatant show of dominance but Sterling didn't even twitch.

"Metronome offlined Ratchet." Avalon continued, "The Council wants me to replace him."

Ratchet reared back at what that would mean. If his sire was dangerous now, he would become unstoppable if he was a Council member.

"_This_," Avalon said, stabbing a digit at Sterling, "is just the start of what I plan on doing."

The words _kill switch _rocketed though Ratchet's processor as he detected a single frequency ring through the air.

There was a sharp pop, like a fuse blowing, and then Sterling was falling backwards. Chrome lunged for him, catching the miner before his helm could hit the ground. He spasmed, excess power blasting though his frame and the smell of burning protoform filled the air.

Ratchet didn't even know he was moving till his fist collided with Avalon's jaw, the force behind the blow sending the Elite mech across the medbay to crash to the ground by the door.

The Guards were on him before he knew it and the butt of a rifle was slammed into his tanks. He went down, gasping for air as his vents stalled.

"Stop!" Avalon's yell rang out and Ratchet glanced up to see a Guard hovering over him ready to slam his rifle into Ratchet's helm. The Guard backed off but Ratchet couldn't get back to his peds if he wanted to.

"Enjoy that." Avalon said as the other Guard helped him to his peds. He paused to brush a few drops of energon from his jaw before glaring at Ratchet. "That's the closest any of your kind will ever get to me again."

"Count… on it." Ratchet rasped, struggling to get his heaving vents under control. Avalon gave him another cruel smirk before turning on his ped and walked out of the medbay.

Ratchet was immediately scrambling to Sterling's side only to realise nothing was working. Ratchet did a double take of his scans, then yanked his datacord from subspace and plugged into the back of the mech's helm.

There was no response.

Sterling's firewalls, massive things that shocked the pit out of Ratchet, looked like they had been blow apart. Ignoring the damage for now, Ratchet raced for the mech's core coding to try and force a manual reboot.

Only to come up in a dead stop.

There was nothing there.

The coding was gone, like it never existed.

"Chrome, wha-" Ratchet started to ask out loud.

"I don't know and I don't fraggin care!" Chrome yelled as he bolted upright. "Just get his vitals running again!"

xxXXxx

Carmine winced when the bond with Sterling abruptly snapped shut, blocking her off entirely. It wasn't the first time he'd done it and he'd told her that it was a habit he'd started in Straxis to protect his family from feeling the effects of his hunter coding. Sometimes, even when he got angry enough, he would block her off without even realising it. All Carmine could do at that point was keep her end of the bond open, flooding it with her love and wait for him to let her back in.

But when half a joor later he still hadn't opened the bond, she started to fear the worse.

"Carmine, you alright?" Lexus asked as the young femme walked up.

"Yeah…" Carmine mumbled, rubbing her chassis directly over her spark. "Somethin's off with Sterlin'."

"What do you mean?" The femme asked, setting her tray of drinks down to better focus on the elder femme. Carmine shook her helm, faceplates creased with confusion.

"Ee got aggressive fo' some reason." She murmured, leaning on the counter with one servo, the other still massaging her chassis. "Real mad."

"The formech?" Lexus suggested.

"Naw, there's dark 'umor involved as well as rather detailed imagery o' wha' Sterlin's gonna do tah him." Carmine said with a chuckle before sobering again. "This… this is rage. Ah've never felt 'im so angry."

"IF you want to go home, I can cover your shift." Lexus offered, resting a slim servo on her friend's arm. "It's not busy and the mechs here will live if you don't sing them home."

Carmine gave her a small smile before shaking her helm.

"Ee's at tah mine. They behind again 'cause o' wha' 'appened with Ratchet." She said. "Ee wont beh home till late again."

"Maybe some singing would cheer him up. It would cheer you up anyways."

Carmine glanced toward the low stage before sighing.

"Ah don' really feel like it." She mumbled, glancing away again.

"It will make you feel better, come on." Lexus said with a grin, reaching out to take Carmine's servos and pull her toward the stage. She started humming the first few lines of a rowdy, upbeat song and Carmine couldn't help but smirk as every optic in the room snapped to them, wolfish grins spreading across weathered faceplates as they recognised the simple tune.

"Fine." Carmine said before pulling her arms free as she tapped into the speakers in the bar. She quickly scrolled through the music selection before finding the song and letting its deep intro start up before staring the opening lines.

She easily felt the music take over her despite no response from Sterling. Usually her singing would bring him out of whatever funk he was at the time but the bond tightened down even more if possible. Carmine sent a questioning ping over the bond, but didn't expect a response. The rejection hurt but she forced it of the back of her processor, letting her voice keep pace as the song sped up.

Carmine was in the last verse, her husky voice belting out the song as everyone cheered and howled for more when she froze, her throat locking up as a spark deep numbness spread though her frame.

"Carmine?" Lexus asked, reaching out to the femme. She didn't expect the red femme to go limp, her legs unable to support her and her entire frame going loose in shock. "Carmine!"

Carmine couldn't even respond to her friend as the numbness abruptly switched to a burning roar that engulfed her spark, her frame, everything.

**|Sterlin'?| **She asked weakly over the bond. **|Sterlin', wha's goin' on. Sterlin' answer meh.|**

The bond was terrifyingly silent and Carmine felt a sense of dread build in her tanks.

**|Sterlin'?| **She asked again, only to feel the faintest emotion against the bond.

Passionate love, dread, remorse, and then a fierce _I love you_ before it felt like she was kicked in the tanks by a titan.

The bond shattered, ripping her spark apart and she let out a shriek of grief only a sparkmate left behind could make. She folded inward, helm on her kneebolts as she sobbed, her frame shaking violently.

"Carmine! What's wrong!" Lexus demanded, half leaning over the femme.

"Ee's gone." Carmine whispered, tears blurring her vison as her world crumbled to pieces. "Sterlin's gone."

* * *

**Is he an evil son of a UGNINFBUIN or what?! HAHAHAHA! please direct all hate mail to my inbox.**

**LOVE YOU ALL!**

**Read and review! **


	30. Recover

**Edit: Changed Brokefang's way of talking to more dinobot like way which in my headcannon is how all beast-frames talk.**

**I'm BAAA-ack! So apparently people didn't like the last chapter and i got lots of hate mail to our favorite Elite. **

**So lets just get this show on the road shall we? Reviews are at the bottom. :)**

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Dusty stood against the wall, watching Ratchet and Jigsaw working on the other side of the cavern. Even as he watched, Ratchet's servos slipped, the crystal he was helping support sliding before jigsaw managed to help steady it. He couldn't hear what they were saying but judging by the way Jigsaw glanced over his shoulder guard, said something to Ratchet, and the grey and yellow mech wilted, he knew they were talking about him. Guilt had been gnawing at his spark since Avalon had shown up at the medbay and it was eating him alive.

He glanced off to the side, jaw set.

Everything had changed since Ratchet fell down that fraggin driller tunnel.

And the more he thought about it, the more he realised that _he _had changed. And for the worst.

Sterling was right. He wasn't the same mech he used to be. Primus he had been awful to Ratchet…

**|About time you realised that.| **Azure snapped and Dusty winced. **|You'd think sleeping on the couch for the last few cycles would get it through your thick helm but **_**noooo**_** you have to see Avalon nearly terminate Sterling and Ratchet **_**punch out**_** the mech before you realise that they are **_**nothing alike!**_

His mate returned to quietly simmering at the other end of the bond and Dusty hesitantly reached out toward her. Despite her irradiation, he knew that she still loved him.

But then a vicious stab shot across the bond that made him hiss at the sudden shock.

**|Talk to him you aft! It's the only way to fix what **_**you **_**wrecked. For Primus sake Sterling ID'd you as a threat! If that didn't scare the slag out of anyone, I don't know what will!|**

Dusty stubbornly resisted, but that guilty feeling doubled.

**|You ever want to get back in **_**my**_** berth you'd better fix things.|**

That made up his mind and with a groan he started toward Ratchet and Jigsaw.

"Ratchet?" He called out when he was in hearing range.

"Spawn of a glitch." Ratchet hissed so quietly that he almost missed it before he turned toward Jigsaw. The grey mech shrugged and Ratchet finally turned and climbed down the scaffolding. The grey and yellow mech fell in step behind him and Dusty struggled to keep the nervousness he felt out of his frame.

**|Start with apologising.|** Azure snapped.

"If you're going to chew me out, at least do it at the medbay so Ironlock doesn't have to haul my crashed aft back to Chrome." Ratchet said after a far to tense moment of silence. Dusty flinched at his sharp, almost emotionless tone.

"Ratchet-" He started to say, not quiet brave enough to face the mech yet.

"I'm not leaving Dusty." Ratchet continued. "I know you hate me and I don't blame you but I don't care what you think of me anymore. I-"

"Would you mute it already and listen to me!" Dusty snapped before flinching as Ratchet shielded away from him.

**|Nice dumb aft.| **Azure muttered.

**|You're not helping!| **Dusty snapped and Azure returned to simmering in the background. Which left him alone with Ratchet. He shot a look up at the taller mech and cringed internally at the guarded look the mech had in his red optics. Far from the stubbornly determined, always in a good mood mech he used to be. He had worked so hard to earn their trust.

"Just get it over with." Ratchet mumbled and Dusty released an exvent.

"You and your sire are a lot alike." Dusty said after a moment. He saw the way Ratchet stiffened, engine snarling as his optics hardened and Dusty took a step back, servos up in surrender. "Just… hear me out."

Ratchet didn't say anything but judging from the way his servo tightened at his side, it looked like he wanted to punch him out as well.

"You're stubborn and when you want something you'll stop at nothing to get it." Dusty continued in a slightly subdued tone and ignoring his mate yelling at him at the other end of the bond. "But the similarities end there. I'm… "

The words caught in his throat. Memory files of Ratchet hovering over him when he'd been blown up and nearly terminated replayed over in his processor as well as every time Ratchet had risked hiss life for them.

"I should never have said you were the same." Dusty continued. "I… I'm sorry."

He shot a nervous look up at Ratchet but the mech didn't look convinced. A weak hiss, more of a whine then anything, escaped his engine before he realised it and Dusty dragged a servo down his faceplates.

"Ratchet you have to understand," he started again, "all my life I've been taught to hate you. Not you personally but… anyone that wasn't family. Anyone that was different then us. You… you understand… right…?"

He gave Ratchet another nervous look but the mech was no longer looking at him, instead focusing ont eh mine wall with his servos crossed over his chassis.

"It's hard ignoring something… something you've been taught… your whole life." Dusty continued, stumbling over the words slightly. "I… I should never have blamed you like that. I… I was mad. I was so mad… after what happened with Axil, and then you falling everything went downhill. I couldn't…"

**|Just mute it and apologise.|**

"I'm sorry Ratchet." Dusty finally said. "I'm sorry for everything."

Still Ratchet remained silent and for a spark stopping moment, Dusty thought that he would never be able to earn the mech's trust again.

"So am I." The mech said after a moment, finally meeting Dusty's gaze even though his optics remained guarded. "So am I."

"I don't expect you to forgive me." Dusty said as a massive weight he didn't realise lifted off his chassis.

"There's nothing to forgive." Ratchet cut in and the weight slammed back down. "I deserved it all."

"No you didn't." Dusty snapped with more bite then he intended. "You've done nothing wrong. You're not your sire."

He realised what he had said and it felt like someone slapped him upside the helm as it finally got through _his_ thick helm.

"You're not your sire." He mumbled, more to himself then anything. "I can't blame you for what Avalon's done to me. It's not your fault. Not Axil, not Sterling, nothing. And more so I should never have locked you up in your coding like that. That was a low blow."

To his dumb shock a small chuckle escaped Ratchet and his optics jerked up the grey and yellow mech to see him smirking.

"I've wanted to hit him for so long…" Ratchet trailed off before his optics drifted to the side to snag on Dusty. "I've never hit someone before. Other than Sandy I mean when we were practising. Primus that felt good."

"Why do you think Chrome's always smacking us around." Dusty said with a faint smirk. "He needs a lot of help Ratchet, he won't admit it but he needs… your skills."

"And you?" Ratchet asked, no longer looking at Dusty.

"We need all the help we can get." The red miner mumbled. "If… if you still want to… stick around…"

"I'm not the one that said I was leaving." Ratchet said, his voice hard again and Dusty winced at the reminder.

"About that…" Dusty trailed off miserably.

"Don't hurt yourself." Ratchet said with another smirk. "I told you I have no intentions of leaving Dusty, you can't get rid of me that easy."

That weight was suddenly gone and Dusty was finally able to glance up Ratchet with some level of confidence.

"Besides, someone has to stick around to keep an optic on you mechs." Ratchet replied. "Forget it Dusty, we both made mistakes."

"Can we start over?" Dusty asked hesitantly. "Clean slate?"

Ratchet looked Dusty straight in the optics and nodded, offering his servo. Dusty didn't even hesitate as he grasped Ratchet's bracer.

"Clean slate." Ratchet replied.

xxXXxx

The road up to Carmine and Sterling's place was rough and not much more than a beat up track. Not much but turbofoxes and scraplets lived up here and Chrome couldn't help but shudder when he saw one of the canine like creatures watching from the top of a jagged outcrop.

But the thing wasn't the one he was worried about. It was the sparked beast he was worried about.

He didn't know where the beast-frame was and quite frankly, that was worse than knowing. He drove for another few klicks before he came over the low ridge and saw the one level, run down house. But as soon as Chrome transformed and set ped on the porch a sharp snarl cut through the air, making him freeze.

The pile of blue-grey armor untangled itself at the same instant Chrome detected the spark he had been looking for.

"Aw slag…" Chrome muttered as beast-mech got to his paws, lip plates curled back in a snarl as he took a menacing step toward Chrome.

Carmine chose that moment to open the door and lean heavily against the doorframe, arms wrapped weakly around herself. Her normal red color was faded and her paint worn from everyday scuffs. When she finally glanced up at Chrome with a forced smile, he saw her dim optics were filled with pain even as she gave the beast-mech a dark look.

"Enough." She ordered, some of her fire coming back as the beast-mech glanced at her. "Ya know Chrome, knock it off."

"Yes Predaqueen." The beast-mech rumbled in a rough voice before snarling once more at Chrome and retreating to the back of the porch.

"How he's doing?" Chrome asked quietly, still wanting to twitch under the burning yellow glare of the turbofox like mech. Carmine shrugged one shoulder guard.

"Ee's 'urtin'." She mumbled before straightening and waving him into the house. "an' exhausted."

"The assemic didn't work?" Chrome asked with a scowl.

"Did…ah bit…"

Chrome glanced up sharply to see Sterling sitting on the edge of a low berth, looking positively miserable. Burns from his entire sensor net shorting out covered his protoform but was worst on his servos, around his vents and up his spinal support. An IV was still inserted in his bracer and feeding a steady dose of novrin into his systems.

Chrome knew without a doubt that Avalon had intended to terminate Sterling. Unlike what had happened with Ratchet in that his coding was different from what his frame needed, Sterling's was gone. When Avalon had trigger that killswitch, it had deleted the coding keeping his vitals functioning. Vents, pumps, self-repair, processors, anything that required coding to keep running shut down. The sudden power surge from everything shutting down at once fried the complex sensor net in the mech's frame in an instant.

His spark had stopped within a klick of his processor shutting down and only by dumb luck and sheer stubbornness not to let Avalon succeed had Chrome managed to keep him online long enough for Impactor to get down to the medbay. They were the closest in frame style and therefor their coding was the most similar. Ratchet had copied Impactor's core coding and together he and Ratchet had managed to splice enough of the copy into Sterling's processor to get him functioning on his own again. It wasn't a perfect splice but it sync in a few cycles.

"Least Ah got… ah few joors…" Sterling rasped, voice harsh with pain as Carmine hurried to his side. It had taken him an orn for the spliced coding to activate and when he'd finally onlined it was with a shriek of pain that Chrome would never forget as long as he functioned. Judging from the way Ratchet nearly lost himself in a selion slash panic attack when Chrome had dropped a scalpel, neither would the young mech.

"Did it help at all though?" Chrome asked, walking over to the mech at a slower pace. Sterling nodded before wincing, even that slight amount of movement no doubt sending excruciating pain though the mech's tortured systems. Carmine lifted a servo to rub her chassis over his spark and Chrome hid a wince when Sterling subconsciously did the same.

When Sterling's spark had gone out their bond had shattered. Chrome had just managed to get his spark going again when Azure had half carried a spark shocked Carmine into the bay. While she couldn't feel her mate, she could see he was still online and that was the only thing that had kept her on this side of the Well.

That and the fact they were both stubborn as Pit.

The bad news, if that wasn't bad enough, was that Sterling's sensor net was now fused with his pain grid. His protoform was so sensitive that even with his pain grid at it's lowest setting, the burns that normally would have been painful, were utterly excruciating.

Physical touch made the pain even worse if that was possible. Bonding put even more stress on systems and as fragile as Sterling was, re-creating the spark bond with his mate might overload his spark and terminate him.

Both were in pain from the shattered bond but would have to suffer though it till Sterling could tolerate physical touch.

"I can give you more assemic-" Chrome offered.

"Don' both'a." Sterling interrupted weakly, hissing shallowly under his breath. "Can' lay down tah recharge anyways."

"Then how are you recharging…?" Chrome asked, dreading the answer as soon as he asked.

"Aven't." Sterling replied, confirming Chrome's fear. "Not… fo'…"

"Save ya breath sweetspark." Carmine murmured, servo ghosting over his arm but not touching him. Sterling nodded, his helm dropping lower as he slumped more.

"Ee asn't recharged in 18 joors." Carmine said.

"Which mean's neither have you." Chrome growled before groaning loudly. "Carmine you have to take care of yourself-"

"Ya know Ah can't." Carmine interrupted, her voice cracking at the end that had Chrome glaring at her sharply.

"Carmine…" Sterling rasped, reaching out to grab Carmine's servo as tears started to stream down her faceplates. He could only hold her servo for a few nano-klcks before the pain forced him to let her go, cradling his burned servo in his lap as fresh waves of pain wracked his frame.

Chrome cursed silently to himself before crouching down in front of Sterling to run a few scans. Sterling shivered as the energy washed over his frame and Chrome shot him a concerned look. Sterling waved him off, glancing up at Carmine.

"Well the good news is that your systems are stabilising." Chrome said before cringing. "Bad news is that nothing's changed with that pit-spawned sensor net of yours."

"Fraggit." Sterling spat viciously.

"I'm sorry-"

"Don' even start…" Sterling mumbled. "Ah'm… tah aft tha'-"

"Weh've been over this, ya didn't know Avalon 'id all tha' slag in there." Carmine cut in with a snarl.

"Ah still volunteered." Sterling muttered.

"It was tha' or ya sire, now mute it."

Sterling gritted his denta but didn't argue. Chrome continued to scowl at Sterling as he sent a private comm to Carmine.

"**What's he talking about. What does Avalon have to do with this other than the obvious." **Chrome demanded. **"That glitch being involved somehow with Sterling's hunter codding is news to me." **

Carmine glanced down at Sterling.

"**Ee 'ad tha' codin' before Ah met 'im." **Carmine mumbled. **"Ee told meh tha' Avalon 'ad designed tah basic codin'."**

"**What?!"** Chrome squawked, unable to hide his shock.

"Ee needed volunteers tah test it." Sterling spoke up and Chrome shot him a dark look. "Fo' obvious reasons, nobody did."

"I think I can figure out the rest." Chrome grumbled, his dislike of the Elite mech spiking.

"Ee bribed mechs." Sterling continued. "O' threatened 'em. Ah said Ah'd do it if 'ee kept mah sire out o' tah mines. 'Ee 'ad selion real bad. '"

"I'm gonna go out on a hunch and say he didn't mention that nasty little killswich virus did he." Chrome asked.

"Ee didn' mention ah lot o' things." Sterling said quietly, his entire posture filled with shame. It was obvious the mech was exhausted, pit, they were all exhausted. Physically and emotionally. If Avalon had wanted to rattle them, he'd done it better then he could ever imagine. The only good news was that while Dusty was no longer screaming bloody murder at Ratchet, he had yet to say a word to the mech. Ratchet for his part, was either trying to work himself offline, or disappear into the shadows.

"I'm gonna dose you stupid." Chrome said after a moment. "Least maybe then you can get some recharge."

He received a murderous glare from both Carmine and Sterling and Chrome instinctively took a step back before glaring right back, servos propped on hipbolts.

"The other option is that you both collapse into stasis. And I'm sure you two will _love _that feeling." Chrome shot back.

Sterling and Carmine shared a nervous look before Sterling sighed, bobbing his helm.

"Alright…" He mumbled.

ooOOoo

Within klicks Sterling was out cold, so deep in recharge it bordered on stasis. Carmine was curled up beside him, her helm resting on his chassis to hear his spark and assure herself that he was still functional.

Chrome watched them before he gave a sigh. Carmine was a mess and the only way she could even touch her mate was when he was unconscious and couldn't feel the pain it caused. With a scowl his attention shifted to the spark signal he could still detect outside.

"You need to get rid of him." Chrome said in a low voice. "I'm scared of what he'll do."

"Brokefang won't do anything." Carmine mumbled, barely even moving.

"I don't trust him Carmine. You know what Teraxians are like." Chrome replied, careful to keep his voice down in case the beast-mech outside heard.

"Ya also know tah only reason weh even get this place is because o' 'im." Carmine continued, glancing at Chrome but not moving. "Tah only way Ah can recharge is because Ah know 'ee's keeping an optic on us."

"I don't care Carmine, you turn your back on him and he'll rip Sterling's throat out before you even realise it! They can't be trusted. Get Sandy and Carbon up here, they'll get rid of him. Teraxians are backstabbing, cannibalistic monsters-" Chrome continued.

"Ya don't know wha' it's like!" Carmine yelled, her voice cracking into a much higher pitch than usual as she sat up. "Ah can' recharge cause Ah'm too scared 'ee won't come online!"

"Carmine-"

"Ah can't feel 'em!" Carmine practically sobbed. "Ah can't… can't feel… mah mate… Ah can'y…"

She broke off, frame trembling with sobs. A loud howl split the air and Chrome jumped with a curse, shooting a smoldering glare toward the Teraxian.

"Ee watches Sterlin' when Ah can't." Carmine said in a whisper. "Ah need 'em 'ere."

Chrome scowled before sighing.

"Do I need to drug you as well?" He asked instead.

"No… Ah'm fine…" Carmine mumbled, curling up against Sterling again. Chrome finally shook his helm, knowing that it was useless to argue.

"Let me know if anything changes." He said and Carmine hummed. With one last glance toward the unconscious miner and his semi-conscious mate he headed toward the door to let himself out.

The last thing he expected was to see the snarling mech standing on the porch, long fangs bared and the thin armor on his frame flared.

"Aw frack." Chrome growled. The mech's beast mode was still painfully obvious in his double jointed legs, pointed audios and whip like tail. And the muzzle full of razor sharp denta.

"Brokefang would never attack Predaking or Predaqueen." The mech snarled, balancing on two peds as easily as any other mech.

"Oh really." Chrome shot back despite knowing the fact that the mech was more than capable of ripping him apart. "I know your kind. What's to keep you from ripping them both apart."

"Wheeler has your gang and your Predaking, Brokefang has Brokefang's pack. Is that so different?" Brokefang asked in his odd way of speaking.

"Yeah, I don't devour my pack mates." Chrome growled. To his disgust the beast-mech chuckled, a raspy harsh sound like someone grinding gears together. "You mech prey on the weak and Sterling is helpless."

"There is no honor in defeating a weak opponent."

"What do you know about honor!" Chrome snarled. The beast mech barked a laugh before dropping forward on his servos as he transformed back into his turbofox like form and padded back to the end of the porch.

"Predaking is defenceless and Brokefang will protect him." Brokefang said as he laid down again. "But when Predaking strong again…"

He trailed off, deliberately dropping his helm back on his paws and ignoring Chrome's murderous glare.

"Fraggin Teraxians." He growled before he stepped off the porch, transformed, and drove off, cursing the beast-mech's entire species and their desert city-state to the Pit and back.

xxXXxx

It was late at night when Ratchet transformed at the side of the road, stepping onto the dimly lit walkway. He was far more nervous than he was willing to admit being back inside Iacon but he had to be here. Thankfully, when his processor had backed up to his spark, the optical overrides had been saved as well. Now he glanced around with bright blue optics for other mechs. A spare glance from anyone would be alright but if anyone took the tine to examine him, his bulky frame would be a dead giveaway that something was up.

Glancing around again, he walked up to the industrial warehouse but hesitated before pressing the door chime.

"-Jack I told you not to-!" A reedy voice yelled.

"Relax Percy I know what I'm- oops."

"Wheeljack!"

Ratchet took a nervous step back expecting the worst.

"See? I told you. Nothing happ-"

An explosion rattled the building and Ratchet's coding took over. He shoved the door open only for dark green smoke to billow out the door. He stumbled back, coughing as the thick smoke engulfed him. A nano-klick later the loud hum of fans kicked on and the smoke started to disperse.

"Is everyone alright!" Ratchet yelled, hesitantly walking inside and scanning for spark signatures. Two registered on his scanners at the same moment coughing and hacking started up.

"So I spoke… too soon." A voice coughed as the smoke finally started to clear. "Percy you all right? Ow…"

"I told you to stay away from the potassium nitrate Wheeljack, I could have told you that would happen!" A red mech with a large scope mounted on his shoulder guard snapped before coughing smoke from his vents. He seemed far too young to be here.

"I'm fine. Just need to find my servo…"

A bolt of alarm shot though Ratchet and he immediately turned to the other mech he had heard speaking.

"What?!" The red mech squawked.

"Aw, give it a rest Perc, just having a little fun with you." The other mech replied, his lower face covered with a blast mask as he smacked at the smouldering paint on his bracer with his other servo. The mech was his age and Ratchet was sure that at one point he had been white but now he was the same dark green as the smoke.

"Are you alright?" Ratchet repeated, still hesitate to walk into something he knew nothing about. So far the smoke wasn't bothering him other than a tickle in the back of his vents.

"Just a fancy smoke bomb." The mech said, vocal indicators flashing a bright blue on the sides of his helm as he glanced up at Ratchet, his arm still smoking slightly.

"A fancy smoke bomb that had the potential to ruin everything I've spent the last seven groons working on." The red mech sniffed, dusting ash from his frame. "No wonder nobody wanted to be stuck working with you."

"So I'm accident prone." The mech said with a shrug. "So what."

"You're on fire." The red mech said in a flat voice before turning to Ratchet as Wheeljack yelped, swatting at his bracer again. "You must be the apprentice medic Focus was talking to us about."

"Yes…" Ratchet asked hesitantly, watching Wheeljack nervously as he grabbed a fire extinguisher.

"Get the table too before it spontaneous combusts." Perceptor said emotionlessly, turning to glare at the mech before turning back to Ratchet.

"Designation Perceptor. Walking hazard over there is Wheeljack." The mech said in a formal Elite class accent.

"Ratchet. I was just outside when I heard the explosion." He explained. "You… are alright?"

"Yes, takes more than a small fire to disable Wheeljack." Perceptor said with a sigh, turning to see the smoke streaked mech douse the table and surround area in foam. And the sparks arcing from the deep gash in his bracer.

"You're damaged!" Ratchet said.

"What? Oh. Oops." Wheeljack muttered, glancing down before he turned the nozzle of the fire extinguisher on himself and doused the sparking wires.

"What are you-?!" Ratchet sputtered in alarm. That foam could damage internal components and could short out circuitry! "Are you insane?!"

"Ignore him." Perceptor said with a frown. "He's always damaging himself. You could say he was the inspiration for the CR chamber."

"Focus mentioned something called a CR chamber." Ratchet said, hesitantly dragging his optics away from the crazy mech.

"It stands for cryogenic regeneration chamber. It's designed to give a mech's self-repair system a massive boost." Wheeljack jumped in as he subspaced a rag to wipe his faceplates.

"It _is_ experimental though isn't it?" Ratchet asked.

"Yes." Perceptor replied, facing Ratchet again. "We've reached finally stages of testing but for obvious reasons, nobody is thrilled about the prospect of trying it out. If something were to malfunctions, the results could be catastrophic."

"Even though nothing's gone wrong…" Wheeljack muttered, crossing his arms over his green and red striped chassis, vocal indicators flashing pink with annoyance before he subspaced a datapad. "It's been successful every time. It's repaired everything we've thrown at it. Everything from minor armor scratches to limb reattachment."

He walked over to hand the datapad to Ratchet. He quickly flipped through it, glancing over the scans and numbers as well as the images. So far it looked like it would work but there was nothing about circuitry damage as severe as Axil's.

"What happens with circuitry damage?" Ratchet asked, still reading the datapad.

"Well, we're still working on that." Perceptor said. "It can repair some circuitry damage but we haven't had a chance to test extensive damage. Your friend said that it was acid damage?"

"Hydrochloric acid." Ratchet said after a moment. "At least three times before he lost conscious."

Wheeljack flinched visibly, rubbing the back of his left servo. Ratchet had seen the gang do it enough times to know the effects of ghost pain when he saw it.

"Yeah, that's nasty stuff." He mumbled. "Stuff does a lot of damage that's for sure."

Ratchet gave the mech a shocked looked.

"Do you have scans of the damage?" Perceptor asked, regaining his attention.

Ratchet hesitated just a moment. He knew that Chrome would blow a fuse of if he ever found out he copied the medic's files but if it meant Axil could see again, it would be worth it. Despite knowing that Dusty wasn't mad at him anymore, he knew he still needed to try and fix this.

"Yeah I do." He said finally, subspacing the datapad and handing it to Perceptor. Wheeljack hovered over the slightly shorter mech to see. He cringed, glancing away.

"Yeah, that's HCI all right." He said. "Primus, who did this to him? I don't care who the heck he is, nobody deserves that kinda damage."

"He was ambushed." Ratchet said, refusing to say anything more. Wheeljack took the hint and didn't push it.

"There's still the remains of his optics in there." Perceptor murmured. "The acid fused what's left to the circuitry. I've only seen that kind of damage in textpads."

"I wish I could say the same." Ratchet mumbled to himself. "There's no way to repair the damage. At least not without extensive surgery and we don't have the material or equipment needed to do it."

"But we do! Come! Come see!" Wheeljack said excitedly, waving Ratchet toward a back room.

"Wheeljack! Oh forget it." Perceptor muttered, before stalking after the excited white mech. "Come on, might as well show you what it looks like. Its final design is still in the works but its internal components are finished."

Ratchet followed them though a doorway into a sectioned off area of the warehouse. The new area was almost spotless compared to the area they were just in.

"This way." Wheeljack continued, waving Ratchet over to a large cylinder tube laying on the ground in some kind of metal brace. There was a thin rack set against the bottom of the glass like someone could lay on it. Dozens of wires and tubes were neatly bundled at what Ratchet though was the top of the glass cylinder.

"This is the chamber we use." Wheeljack explained, gesturing toward the glass cylinder. "Once everything is prepped, it sits vertical against the wall to save space."

"This is the solution." Perceptor said, handing Ratchet a small glass vial. He examined the pale green liquid curiously before shooting a quick scan at it. His optics widened as he read the scans. Half the stuff he didn't recognise in the strange fluid but he did recognise the additives to boost a mech's self-repair. Other minerals he recognised as a type of circuit booster.

"How does it work?" Ratchet asked, handing the vial back to Perceptor.

"It works by-"

"Small words Percy, you don't want to fry his processor or anything." Wheeljack interrupted before spinning to Ratchet. "No offence but he makes the average genius look like a sparked drone."

The insult made Ratchet flinch despite the fact that it wasn't aimed toward him and he missed the way Perceptor glared at Wheeljack.

"It works by stimulating a mech's self-repair beyond what it's normally capable of. The additives in the liquid make it possible." Perceptor explained, still glaring at Wheeljack. "We're… we're not allowed to go into detail for obvious reasons though. I apologise."

"I understand." Ratchet said, looking the strange machine over again. "You're… you're sure it will work. He won't… he won't be able to handle it if it doesn't. He's already on a deadline."

"What do you mean?" Wheeljack asked.

"He's…" Ratchet hesitated for a moment before shaking his helm. "He's a miner. He's part of my gang."

The two mechs shared a glance before Perceptor looked back at him.

"So?" He asked.

"So?" Ratchet repeated in surprise. "What do you mean so. You're the first mech I've _ever_ know not to blow a fuse about something like that."

They shared a look again before Wheeljack sighed.

"Well… most of the mechs that volunteer for medical procedures are…" he trailed off hesitantly and Ratchet frowned, knowing exactly what the mech was implying.

"To put it bluntly," Perceptor interrupted, "We designed this with the working class in mind. The damage it's designed to repair is far more extensive then what most mechs have to deal with. This-" He held up the datapad Ratchet had handed him. "-is exactly what the CR chamber is designed for. Extensive damage that would normally get mech's terminated for."

Ratchet didn't say anything for a moment before sighing. As much as he didn't like this, he knew that it was still Axil's only chance.

"There's another thing." Ratchet said hesitantly. "Our medic, my mentor, is against this. An experimental procedure almost got our friend terminated and he's scared that something similar could happen again."

"Understandable but as I have said, we have tested this thing thoroughly. The chances of something going wrong are minimal." Perceptor explained.

"He's gonna need a pit load more proof then just my word. We had a… falling out about this." Ratchet said with a one sided shrug.

"I'm not allowed-"

"Come on Percy, and what about his friend?" Wheeljack interrupted. "We have to."

"It's against policy Wheeljack you know that-"

"And you know what they do to mechs like that that can't work." Wheeljack interrupted hotly.

Perceptor snapped his mouth shut before sighing. A moment later he had subspaced a datapad and handed it to Ratchet.

"It's a copy of most of our data." He said. "Except the formula for the additive of course. Under normal circumstances I would never give you our research but if it will safe a mech's life… "

"Thank you." Ratchet said, meaning every word as he set the precious datapad in subspace. "I just hope it will be enough to convince him.

* * *

**And Wheeljack and Percy get to show up. As you can tell Jack and Ratchet are already off to a beautiful start to their love/hate relationship. :) Percy's harder for me because **_**I**_** can hardly speak English and it's the only language i know so to use four syllable words repetitively makes my eyes cross. **

**Hate mail time!**

**Guest: Yeah, i think he's awesome too. Easily my favorite OC that I've come up with. And trust me, i have a lot of them. **

**XcaliforniandreamerX: Ok, lots of questions and i love it. Here we go. As you can see, he's not dead but that's beside the point. Avalon is at the point where he's powerful enough that he doesn't give a rip what anyone things of him because other then Prime and the Council, nobody can stop him. For him 'killing' Sterling was more of a show in power of what he can get away with. If Dusty hates Ratchet more because of it, for him that's fabulous. He's pretty much pitting them against each other.****  
****To put it quickly, Sterling's coding was designed to make him a better fighter. (more aggression, dulls his feeling of pain ect ect) When Carmine bonded with him it caused a glitch that he turns that same aggression into a form of protection. That protection was originally for his mate but eventually included the rest of the gang, including Ratchet. When Dusty turned against Ratchet, Sterling's coding saw it as a threat to his gang and... welll... he was already ticked to begin with and things just kinda spiraled out of control. The reason he **_**didn't**_** rip Avalon apart despite everything is because he knew Avalon was responsible for his coding and he kinda figured that Avalon would pull a stunt like having a killswitch hidden somewhere. Sterling isn't stupid and he knew there was a reason Avalon was baiting him.****  
****Speaking from (heh heh) recent personal experience. If your boss hated you, would you want to stick around no matter how much you liked the job? Hope that explains everything for you.**

**PriestessDranna: Your wish is my command :) And yeah, i kinda got emotional at the end. I love a good torture scene but emotional torture is a whole other level. **

**HoneyMudkip: Wow, thanks. I'm honored you think its that good. **

**Anodythe: Second door on your right, its the room chanting "We want his head on a pike!" And that's one of the many reasons i wanted to write this, was because I wanted to write the downfall of the planet. And yeah, that's kinda what I'm aiming for is everyone does the golden Autobots. i kinda want to go in the direction of the Decepticons are the "good guys". At least until Megatron losses it... As for Trion, he's only got a huge amount of power as part of th Council. Individually he cant do a lot. He still manages to pull some *ahem* stunts off but when it comes down to the nitty gritty messy stuff, Avalon has more power then he does when it comes to stuff that isn't a planet wide issue. Yes rebellion in the lower castes is a problem but Dusty and the gang are just really annoying in their own way. Hope that makes sense.**

**DawnfireJazz: Yeah... lineup is on the follow the crowd.**

**Sunstreaker's Squishy: The killswitch was a little *heh* safety measure Avalon hid in the hunter coding. An earlier chapter mentioned hunter's going insane because of the coding overrides their processor. The killswitch was a 'safety measure' nobody told anyone about in case that did happen. And no, Axil's fine for the moment.**

**Child of Jon snow: there's your answer.**

**Techna13: See? All better. I like Sterling to much to kill him. :)**

**Autobotguy710: Yeah, i was looking forward to that. Wow did Ratchet ever need to hit him.**

**Skyice98: Meh, he's too stubborn to take the hint and die. **

**HeartsGuardianSol: I **_**am**_** sparkless. muahahaha! I have my moments too. And yes, i though about Skywarp so the base is warp proof. As well as Unicron proof.. I've had him sicked on me as well... ho hum. The joys of being a writer. **

**AlloraStar217: yeah i like him too. And yeah, he's a real spawn of a glitch. Trust me, he gets what he deserves. No, he's too driven by his hatred of the working class to be Shockwave. That was one of my favorite scenes as well. **

**KayleeChiara: Yes i did have to do it to him. I love my violent miner to much to give him an easy time with anything. Besides, he's game for a good game of 'how close to dying can i get with out actually dying'**

**InterstellerGazer: I'm evil. Known fact. And the more plot twists the better. **


	31. Divided

**I am on a roll with posting! Woo! Kay so next weekend I'm in another province so I don't know if I'll get the chapter out. I hope to, I know what's gonna happen, but don't cross your fingers. **

**So AutobotGuy710 suggested a bit more of a laid back chapter with the gang all having a good time so you go this. A bit more laid back then the last few chapter. So things get a tiny bit suggestive here, nothing to serious because i really don't want to puke on my computer but just a heads up, Carbon is awful to poor innocent and naive Ratchet. :D**

**AutobotGuy710: Got it :)**

**Techna13: Yeah, he's alive. I love him far to much. **

**Guest: Heh, yeah, Azure was sick of tired of listening to him and sometime you just need a good kick in the aft to realize that yeah maybe you're a complete jerk. **

**Clarybell: That is _literally_ the only way to introduce him. There is no way to do it otherwise and not have it being Wheeljack. **

**Child of Jon Snow: Yep, I've got WAY to many plans for him that span far in the distant future. I need him alive for my diabolical plot. :D**

**Skyice98: mech's to stubborn to die. Besides, he'll live just to tick off Avalon. And yeah, Chrome blows a fuse. **

**Princess Kassie: No problem. Yeah, I saw you had a fic out, good luck with it and I'm glad that you consider me an inspiration. **

**InterstellerGazer: I'm so happy you think that! Aww, i feel loved. Pre-war is so much fun, you can do all sorts of things with cannon characters. Yeah, writing that scene with Avalon was hard. He's such an awesome mech, even _I_ felt bad about what i was doing to him. And it's a proven fact I'm evil. :D**

* * *

Avalon scowled as Sentinel Prime threw back his helm and laughed. Even Alpha Trion was openly smirking from where he was standing off to the side, not even trying to be subtle.

"So let me… heh…get this straight." Sentinel said with a grin, straitening up after a moment but still chuckling. "Ratchet broke your jaw?"

"Cracked the hinge sir." Avalon corrected stiffly, then shot a murderous glare at Trion when he snorted in amusement and the image of 'respected Council Member' vanished as he continued to smirk. Subconsciously he rubbed his jaw where the thin weld still stood out against his smooth features. It was still fresh enough that paint wouldn't take to it and he knew the weld was painfully obvious. "Trust me, he will pay for that."

"Has it ever occurred to you that your methods are not working?" Alpha Trion asked casually.

"What are you talking about." Avalon demanded, keeping his tone just on the edge of respectful. The mech was laughing at him. There was no way in Pit he was showing an ounce more respect then was required of their class.

"Despite everything you throw at the miner, his gang is still one of the most productive in his sector." Trion replied. "I should know, I file the records."

"So what do you suggest?" He snapped.

"I'm willing to try something out." Sentinel spoke up and Avalon's attention snapped back to him.

"And that is." He ground out, just a tad bit more respect for his Prime. He wanted that promotion fraggit, he'd better start sucking up.

"Dusty and his gang still work though no matter what happens to them." Trion said. "Imagine what they would be capable of if we left them alone."

"What?!"

"I'm easing off the pressure." Sentinel said, standing up. "Let Dusty run his gang how he sees fit. He's smart enough to keep his gang in line. As for everyone else, the pressure will remain. Call it a reward for good behavior."

"Good behavior?! You call that stunt he pulled good behavior?!" Avalon demanded.

"You're letting your personal issues get in the way Avalon." Sentinel said in a low voice. "I thought you said that you didn't care what happened to your creation."

Avalon snapped his mouth shut with an audial clack that sent a spike of pain up his repaired jaw.

"I don't." He said after a moment or composing himself. "What I care about is making sure this place, all that you're accomplished, doesn't collapse on us. The last thing we need is another dark age. Cybertron is flourishing because of the work of mechs like them."

"But even you know that a foundation, no matter how strong it seems, will collapse under enough pressure." Alpha Trion said, his tone far more serious then Avalon had ever heard coming from the calm mech.

"It's a good thing they're built for pressure." Avalon growled.

"Avalon enough, I've already decided." Sentinel interrupted, giving the gold mech another warning look. "You're dismissed."

"But sir-" Avalon objected in surprise before he saw the look on his Prime's faceplates. He set his jaw with a sharp nod before turning around and leaving the office. The door slid shut behind him and he heard the lock engage shortly after. He shot a dark look at the door before letting a snarl escape him.

"**Copper, this is Avalon, respond." **He ordered over his comm.

"**What can I do for you sir?"** The Elite replied, the comm full of static due to the sheer distance of the mech being half way across the planet.

"**I need you back in Iacon. I have a job for you." ** Avalon said, walking down the hallway away from the Prime's office. Mechs and femmes scurried out of his way and he didn't care if it was out of respect of his position to the Prime or the fact he was still snarling.

"**What? But I'm in Praxus, I won't be able to get back to Iacon for two, three orns at best."** Copper objected. **"I finally got some time off and want to enjoy this. What's the big rush?"**

"**I need you to do a job for me. The Prime is keeping me busy and I don't have time to attend to these matters myself."** Avalon said. He had a really bad feeling he was about to lose any and all say he had when it came to Dusty's gang.

"**I think I can guess what it is. That blind mech of Dusty's."** Copper said with a low growl.

"**Yes, and the silver one, Sterling-"**

"**Not a chance!"** Copper objected instantly. **"Sorry Avalon but I value my hide too much. Find some anther poor scrap to deal with that insane glitch."**

"**He's offline."**

There was dead silence other than the static over the comm.

"**Come again?"**

"**There's a killswitch in his coding." **Avalon explained with a smirk the mech couldn't see. **"I activated it. Except Chrome is far too skilled of a medic for his own good. If there was any way to keep that mech online with all his core coding deleted, Chrome will figure it out. I want that mech's frame."**

"**I'll need backup. You know how they are." **Copper said, still sounding only half convinced.

"**You'll get it. Just bring me their helms and I don't care if there's a frame attached."** Avalon ordered before snapping the comm shut with a growl.

xxXXxx

"**Chrome is going to strip me for **_**parts!**_**"** Ratchet hissed as he and Sandstorm lifted a heavy slab of scrap metal. It screeched loudly and both mechs froze in alarm. Ratchet's dimmed red gaze snapped to Chrome as all his systems stalled.

Chrome grunted in his recharge, sprawled across a berth shoved into the far back corner of the workshop. He shifted slightly at the sound and Ratchet nearly blew a cylinder his frame was so tense. Eventually Chrome stilled, engine rumbling slightly and one arm hanging off the edge of the berth. To Ratchet's alarm, there was a rather large knife hidden underneath.

"**Frag, this is never going to work."** Ratchet continued as they set the slab aside to reveal a hidden cavity in the scrap metal.

"**Ha! You were right!" **Sandstorm practically squealed, dropping to his kneebolts to reach into the cavity. He pulled out a deep blue energon cube, grinned, and tossed it into subspace to reach for another one.

"**I'm breaking into my mentor's medbay and stealing his high-grade." **Ratchet grumbled, then nearly jumped out of his armor when Sandstorm tossed a cube at him. He fumbled it but managed to catch it and shot the tan mech a murderous glare. **"Rephrase, he is going to strip **_**us**_** for parts! If that had hit there ground there's no **_**way**_** Chrome would stay out!"**

"**We're only scrap if we get caught. Mute it and open your subspace." **Sandy ordered, red optics glowing in the dark and lighting up the near feral grin on his faceplates. Ratchet scowled before tossing the cube in subspace and caught another that Sandy tossed at him.

ooOOoo

"_Ya-HOO!"_

Sandstorm wild yell echoed across the landscape as he careened madly down the road at suicidal speeds.

"**We're not in a hurry ya dumbaft!" **Ratchet yelled, struggling to keep up and not collide grill first into some obstacle.

Sandstorm was clawing over the rough landscape like nothing he had seen before or was willing to try.

"**Aw, come on Ratch! We need to get there before the other's show up!" **Sandy called back, fishtailing madly so that he did a complete 360. Ratchet refused to feel jealous.

"**But you're gonna get us off'ed before then! Slow the frag down!" **Ratchet shot back. A groan echoed over the comm before Sandstorm slowed down with a huff.

"**Fine…"**

"**If Chrome ever find out about this we are so scarp." **Ratchet muttered again as they pulled over a ridge to see a massive bonfire in the distance. **"Wow."**

"**Frack, when Impactor said a bonfire I didn't think he was gonna set the whole plateau on fire." **Sandy said with a laugh as they paused at the top.

"**Remind how we are **_**not**_** going to get in trouble for this?"** Ratchet asked.

"**Well, 's long no 'Forcers show up…"** Sandy trailed off before his engine roared and he shot forward with another wild yell. Ratchet groaned before kicking his own engine into gear and taking off after the mech.

He felt the heat coming off the fire before he even heard it and couldn't help but grin as he transformed, sliding to a stop on his peds behind Sandy.

"Ya got the 'grade right?" Jigsaw asked with a grin, walking up. In response, Sandy subspaced the dark blue cube. It was almost black in the light of the roaring fire. "How the frag did you find this stuff?"

"I may or may not have found it by accident." Ratchet said with slight smirk as Jigsaw stared at him in alarm.

"And I just happen to know someone who knows how to pick locks." Sandy added with his own smirk.

"You two are awful."

"Hey! We got the high-grade!" Sandy objected, following Jigsaw to where Ratchet could see Impactor and Ironlock.

"Yeah and Chrome's gonna blow a fuse about this." Impactor spoke up as Sandy tossed him a cube.

"He was out cold when we snuck out."

"Did he have help?" Ironlock asked with a sly grin, nudging Ratchet.

"What, you mean did I drug him?! Pit no I'm not that glitched." Ratchet objected before grinning. "Now if he happened to grab the wrong energon cube with the assemic in it that's not my problem. He knows I still have issues recharging."

Impactor and Sandstorm howled with laugher, catching the attention of Scrapper and Longhaul as they pulled up.

"Primus, couldn't have choses a closer place to civilization?" Scrapper asked as he transformed.

"What, and let everyone know we're here?" Impactor asked, gesturing to the roaring fire. "Do you want to get arrested?"

"Yeah true that." He said with a shrug before glancing at Sandy. "Axil showing up?"

"I'm here." The dark grey mech said as he walked around the fire. "Jigsaw helped me out here a little after Impactor and Ironlock made the fire."

"Hey, where's Carbon?" Ratchet asked. "I figured he'd be one of the first here."

"I sent him the coordinates." Impactor replied with a shrug, "Fragger probably doesn't want to try and out drink me again."

"That's a load of slag 'Pactor, Carbon drank you under the table last time." Sandy shot back and Ratchet took the change in subject to nudge Jigsaw.

"Is Dusty coming?" He asked quietly. The grey mech shrugged, the scarring on his hiboolt gleaming in the firelight as he shifted his weight.

"If he does show up, we sure didn't ask him too." He said with a scowl. Ratchet nodded before Sandy's yell snapped his helm back to the tan mech.

"What!" He yelled back.

"Break out the high-grade already!" He said, both servos already holding cubes of the dark blue liquid. Ratchet rolled his optics before reaching into his own subspace, tossing a cube toward Impactor and handing another to an anxiously waiting Jigsaw.

It wasn't even half a joor later and most of the gang was well into the high-grade. The fire had died down from its massive bonfire, to a huge fire nonetheless. Axil was the only one not completely hammered and that was because the last thing he wanted was to end up faceplate first in the still hot fire. Even Ratchet was feeling a slight buzz in his systems from the high-grade and he couldn't help but grin at the fact that he could handle _way_ more of the stuff then he used to. Primus if only he'd had this frame for some of the Academy parties, he would have kicked aft.

Sandy was in the middle of a story when Ratchet noticed the headlights slowly approaching. A moment later he heard the steady thrum of a _very_ powerful engine.

"Uh mechs" He called but at that moment everyone burst out into cackling laughter at something Sandy said and Ratchet glanced toward them. "Hey! We got company!" He yelled louder.

"Aw frag, don't be Enforcers." Impactor grumbled louder then he probably intended. "Ah don't need to get arrested again for partying…"

"That ain't no 'Forcer engine." Longhaul spoke up, swaying uneasily as he got to his peds. After a moment he glanced down at Scrapper before hauling the mech to his peds where he promptly tripped and sat back down in a graceless heap.

"If you mechs drank all the 'grade I'm gonna beat someone into the ground!" Carbon familiar voice rumbled as he drove up.

"Course we saved some for you." Impactor said with a weird grin. Ratchet shook his helm, knowing the mech would have one pit of a helmache tomorrow. Frag, most of the gang would. He finally got to his peds but had to grab Jigsaw's shoulder guard as the fire pitched to the side. Frag, _he_ was gonna have a processor ache when this was all over. Jigsaw chuckled, easily steadying the other mech. It was only then that Ratchet caught the other two spark signatures half masked by Carbon's frame.

The two spark signatures that had almost identical signals.

Instantly the buzz in his systems drained and he gasped at the weird feeling, shaking his helm sharply to get his optics to refocus on the silver-grey mech that walked around Carbon as the mech carefully transformed.

Ratchet hoped it was the firelight that was making the mech look as bad as he did because there was no way in _pit_ that mech should be up. He was going to _murder_ him and then Chrome was going to perform another miracle and then _he_ was gonna murder him!

"Ope there's enough fo' three." Sterling said with a grin, Carmine hovering just a few inches away from his frame.

"What the _frag_ is _wrong_ with you?!" Ratchet sputtered, his medical coding twisting as he realised that yes, the silver mech still didn't have any armor on. "You could burn you protoform or scuff it or get an infection or-"

Jigsaw clapped the younger mech on the back hard enough he staggered forward, train of thought completely derailed in the effort to keep his peds under him and his frame upright.

"He's online, he's up, he's here. Shut up and drink." The mech ordered, shoving a half full cube of high grade into Ratchet's faceplates. He caught the cube reflectively but still turned to give the grinning Sterling a smoldering glare. The silver mech may have been able to fool the others but Ratchet was a medic. He could see things the others couldn't.

The tension in his frame.

The way Carmine kept glancing at him but didn't touch him.

The tightness around his exposed vents as he tried to cycle air as lightly as possible.

The mech was still hurting and hurting a lot.

"Waitaklick." Impactor spoke up in confusion as Carbon snagged his high-grade. "Chrome said your bond broke."

Carmine hissed even as Sterling brushed the back of his servo against her's.

"Ya…ya it did." She said before glancing up at Sterling with raucous grin. "It was."

Ratchet caught on right away and his spark nearly stopped. Rebonding with Carmine could have _terminated him_!

"You-!" He started to yell only to be cut off when the gang howled and cheered as Sterling bent down to give Carmine a passionate kiss and they finally realised what the sparkmates were talking about.

"Atta' mech!" Impactor howled as in his half overcharged state threw an arm around Sterling's shoulder joints.

His white optics got impossibly whiter as Sterling twisted stiffly away from Impactor with a sharp gasp and Ratchet lunged for the mech as his coding went on a repeat of 'IknewitIknewitIknewit!' A heavy servo latched onto his shoulder guard and nearly yanked him backwards off his peds.

"Don't even say anything." Carbon said, his voice just above a low rumble.

"Being out here could _terminate_ him!" Ratchet hissed, glancing up at the black mech before glaring at Sterling. Carmine had shifted to get between him and Impactor and judging from the murderous look she gave the mech, she was not above taking his arm off at the shoulder joint.

"I can give you a _very_ detailed and long list over _everything_ that could wrong!" Ratchet continued, trying to jerk out of Carbon's grip but it was a useless attempt.

"Trust me, I gave him my own list." Carbon replied with a scowl, glancing over Ratchet to watch Sterling walk toward the fire and accept a cube of high-grade, tossing it back. "I don't like it either Ratchet but even though you don't know Sterling like I do, you do know him and how much he hates being inactive. Lying flat on his back for a few orns is enough to drive him insane."

Carbon paused to toss back Impactor's drink before glancing back down at Ratchet with a shrug and releasing him. He tilted his helm toward the far side of the fire and Ratchet scowled before keeping pace with the mech as he walked around the edge of the firelight.

"I at least convinced him to will till dark so that burning his protoform is one last thing he needs to worry about." Carbon continued after a moment.

"I just wish he hadn't taken the risk bonding would have caused." Ratchet grumbled. "He could have fried his systems again. And then what."

"What would have preferred?" Carbon asked. "I've seen mechs go insane with grief because they've lost their mate. Sterling is already instable enough as is, he _needs_ Carmine more than anyone can understand. He told me once it's more than just being sparkmates, it effects that hunter coding somehow."

"Someone should have been there just in case." Ratchet muttered only to jump out of his armor at Carbon's bellowing laugher.

"Mech, you ever interfaced with a femme?" Carbon asked bluntly and Ratchet stopped dead in his tracks, optics wide in shock.

"Have… I… ever…what…?!" He squeaked in mortification, faceplates no doubt turning a scathing shade of blue.

"Interfaced with a femme. It's one pit of an experience." Carbon asked, red optics lighting up his rowdy grin. "You have at least kissed a femme right?"

"Ye-yes. Once. On a dare." Ratchet stammered, vents still skipping in embarrassment. "What- what the frag does that have anything to do with Sterling?!"

"Polyhexian femmes have some of the most flexible frames around." Carbon said, bulling ahead with no care for the alarm on Ratchet's faceplates. "They can make things like interfacing and bonding… shall we say…interesting? Things that happen between lovers are usually not things outsiders want to hear."

Ratchet's optics got impossibly bigger as he realised what Carbon was implying.

"Oh Primus…"

"Take my word for it, it is impressive how those femmes can move." Carbon continued, still grinning like a spawn of Unicron himself. "Polyhex is known for its music and dance and not all those dances are public entertain-"

"No!" Ratchet yelled, spinning around with his servos clapped over his audios. He did _not_ need to know about the mech's love life! "Ew. Just… ew."

"Issues?" Axil asked as Ratchet practically ran into the dark grey mech.

"Don't ever let Carbon take me for a walk around the fire again." Ratchet grumbled shooting a murderous look in the black mech's direction. His response was to give Ratchet another grin and a thumbs-up. Ratchet shuddered before refocusing on Axil with a groan. "I am way to sober for this."

"Join the club." Axil said with a chuckle.

"I didn't think you'd make it out here. You doing alright?" Ratchet asked, changing the subject.

Axil smirked, the scars on his faceplates twisting with the motion.

"You have me on some kind of crazy watch." He said bluntly and Ratchet winced.

"Not… quite…" Ratchet said hesitantly.

"Suicide watch." Axil deadpanned. "and before you go and lay on to Sandy, I figure it out myself. Clout is an idiot and has no understanding of the concept 'subtle'."

"I'm just worried about you Ax. You've changed a lot since you-" Ratchet stopped instantly before he said something that he shouldn't but Axil just laughed it off.

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine." He said, black visor lifting to lock on Ratchet's optics with uncanny accuracy. "Honest. I just want to have a fun time."

Hostility swept though the gang like a wave and Ratchet spun in alarm, wondering what the pit happened that EM fields would flare like that. His first though was Enforcers, with then rapidly escalated to Elite Guard, and then Avalon.

"Dusty just pulled up." Axil supplied, blind optics locked on the rest of the gang and Ratchet released a vent he didn't realise he was holding. Only Dusty oh good.

"Aw frag." Carbon grumbled as he stormed past to play damage control. Ratchet and Axil quickly fell in step behind the bigger mech in time to see a very overcharged Impactor jab a digit at an equally over-charged Sandstorm.

"Told ya not to-to tell him-him we were here!" Impactor snarled.

"I-I didn't!" Sandy shot back, servos curling into claws at his side.

Ratchet wasted no time jumping between the two and caught Sandstorm's slow punch before ramming his shoulder guard into Impactor's chassis to give himself some venting space and force the mech back a few steps.

"Knock it off, both of you." He said loudly, shooting a look at each mech as he kept his arms braced at his side in case things got violent. A small part of his processor said if he got into the middle of a drunken brawl with those two he would end up as pulverised scrap metal but another, much smaller said that he just might be able to hold his own for a few nano-klciks.

Ratchet stiffened at that train of thought before shaking his helm. Maybe that high-grade was starting to kick in.

"I invited him." Ratchet continued, glancing toward Dusty where he stood at the edge of the firelight. His armor was flared in discomfort at the hostile looks he was receiving.

"You?!" Scrapper demanded in surprise, red gaze shooting to Dusty, then back to Ratchet. He was upright much to Ratchet's surprise. "Why the frack did you do that?"

"Look, Dusty's already apologised to me and we're starting over." Ratchet said, answering Scrapper but still talking loud enough that everyone could hear. "This is exactly what Avalon-"

The designation got viscous snarls from everyone but to his shock, most were directed toward Dusty instead of him. The red mech shifted back half a step.

"Listen to me!" Ratchet yelled, ignoring the spike of pain that shot through his processor. "We keep fighting like this and there's not a fraggin chance he's gonna let us stay together. Yeah I screwed up majorly and almost got mechs terminated. I should have told you mechs about Avalon but I didn't and quite frankly, Dusty's reaction is what I expected from everyone. This is what Avalon wants. Us fighting because then he has every excuse in the book to start splitting the gang apart and it may be all the high-grade I've just had, but I think I like it here."

"Eh, don' worry. Enough high-grade and ya'll like anyone." Impactor said with a grin.

"Dusty apologised to me even though I don't deserve it." Ratchet said, locking optics with the bigger mech. "I'm _more_ than willing to forget that ever happened and I kinda hope things can go back to how it was. Alright?" He asked, still glaring at Impactor before shifting his glare to Sandstorm. The tan mech scowled.

"Ratchet's got ah point." Sterling said to Ratchet's shock, taking a step forward. Considering the last time the two were within a mile of each other, Ratchet figure it would be a long time before Sterling and Dusty smoothed things over.

"Beside." Ratchet added with a dangerous smirk. "Avalon hates it when mech's work together."

"Welcome back to the gang Dusty." Sandstorm instantly said with a grin, subspacing a cube of high-grade to toss at the mech. "I guess we can get along, just to spite that spawn of a glitch."

"Best plan you've ever had in a long time." Dusty replied, walking forward into the firelight with a relieved smile.

ooOOoo

Ratchet felt a wave of dread wash over him when he recognised Chrome as he transformed just outside the fire light. It was close to three in the morning and everyone was having a blast as Carbon broke out even more high-grade and Carmine started singing.

"Aw-aw frag…" He stammered, trying to stand up but only making it half way before he tipped sideways into Ironlock. Wow was his helm spinning.

"For… forget it mech." He said with a laugh, gesturing vaguely at the grey and yellow mech. "Ya… ya ain't goin' nowhere."

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news but we got a problem." Chrome said, his voice sounding far too loud in the dark.

"What's wrong?" Dusty asked, walking even as Sterling hauled himself to his peds with a wince.

"I just got word that Copper's back in Iacon territory." Chrome said gravely. "He'll be here in two orns."

Glass shattering broke the sudden dead silence and Ratchet lurched around to see Axil drop to his kneegaurds. A cube of high-grade had dropped from his servos and he was trying to pick up the glass shards, his servos trembling. Sandstorm crouched down beside him, murmuring something that Ratchet couldn't hear and he refocused on Chrome in shock.

"What you talking 'bout." He demanded, his processor doing that weird, sudden refocusing thing as he focused on Chrome. "What do you mean he's coming."

"Exactly that. What's more, he's expecting to be hauling a terminated frame back as well as a transfer out."

"Ee' think's Ah offlined." Sterling said bluntly.

"Yeah he does." Chrome replied.

"We need to talk." Ratchet spoke up, walking over and grabbing Chrome's bracer, practically dragging him away. "_Now._"

xxXXxx

Sandy snapped out of his daze at the sound of glass shattering. Instantly he was on his peds moving toward Axil as the mech dropped to his kneebolts, fumbling for the remains of the cube he had dropped.

"Hey, hey, you alright?" Sandy asked, shocked into awareness as his slow processor realised what Chrome had said.

"I just…" Axil said, glass slipping though his digits as he trembled. "I can't believe… I mean…"

"Hey, calm down." Sandy said, picking up the glass before Axil could cut himself by accident or something. "Look, I won't let him take you. You're not going anywhere if I can help it."

"I knew that I would get shipped off at some point but I thought… I thought he'd show up. I didn't…" Axil trailed off, his voice getting raspy with stress. "I didn't want this kind of a countdown."

Sandy didn't know what to say but the motion of Ratchet abruptly grabbing Chrome's bracer caught his attention and he glanced up in confusion.

xxXXxx

"Now what Ratchet." Chrome demanded, crossing his arms over his chassis.

"I might know a way for Axil to be able to see." Ratchet said, keeping his voice down.

"What are you talking about."

"Look, I know it's experimental but you have to try this!" Ratchet insisted, reaching into subspace for the datapad Perceptor had given him. "It's their research, this works Chrome. We _have_ to try it!"

"Absolutely not!" Chrome spat, not even glancing at the datapad as he shoved it back toward Ratchet. "Experimental coding is what nearly got Sterling and Carmine terminated!"

"This isn't coding, it's nanites!" Ratchet shot back. "Purely self-repair nanites. Just look at the scans-"

"It's experimental. I told you I want nothing to do with it. And what makes you so sure this will work for him anyways."

"I showed them the scans-"

"You _what?!"_

"It's not your choice! This could be the only thing that will save Axil's life!"

"You copied my files?!" Chrome accused. "Ratchet you _glitch_!"

"You know that Kaon is a termination sentence! This could save his life!"

"There's worse things than terminating Ratchet." Chrome snarled, turning away but Ratchet grabbed his bracer.

"We're not done." Ratchet growled. "I know you hate the idea but for Primus sake Chrome this could save his life! Get over your ego and admit you can't do this!"

"I will not allow another mech to become a slave to some Elite!" Chrome spat, just keeping his voice down so that everyone didn't hear their argument. "That's a fate worse than termination Ratchet! You saw what he did to Sterling!"

"For the last time Chrome, this isn't coding! It won't do anything other than repair the damage to his optics! Chrome I'm trying to fix this! He's just as much my patient as yours!"

"And I said no. End of discussion." Chrome snarled, turning away. Ratchet growled low in his chassis as Chrome stormed off toward Sterling.

"Sterling, what in pit possessed you to come out here!" Chrome yelled abruptly and everyone cringed at the loud voice.

"Aw come on Chrome!" Sterling objected. "Ah just needed tah get out."

"Yeah and if we're going to convince Copper you're able to work you need to be more then alright. You can't even handle the weight of your armor." Chrome snarled. "Carbon you too. Let's go. Carmine I though you would at least keep him from nearly terminating himself out here."

"Aw give it ah rest." Carmine said with a scowl but she did follow her mate as he followed a seething Chrome.

"Guess tah party's over." Impactor slurred as he stumbled to his peds.

"Guess it is." Ratchet said, keeping the anger out of his voice as he turned to the rest of the gang. "Whose glitched idea was it to have this thing all the way out here? Primus we got a long walk back to Iacon…"

* * *

**And now the fun part of trying to get home and not kill anyone. There's a reason there's DD's people! To bad nobody though of that and Chrome's to mad to help _anyone_ get home.  
**

**On a serious note, there is a very dark part coming up in the next chapter. Wont say what but some people can probably guess and for reasons that will be very obvious, I'm posting a warning here, and then at the beginning of the next chapter.**

**On a happier note, Sterling and Carmine are back together and everyone had a great time untill Chrome showed up and popped everyone's bubbles. **

**Read and Review You're all the best!**


	32. Silence

**Hey all! i did get the chapter out! later then usual but it's out. **

**300th reviewer gets a one shot!**

**So this chapter goes out to Child of Jon Snow who asked for a more on Sandy and Axil's friend Eight. And then it snowballed out of control. Over all, i am very happy with this chapter and how it turned out, i tried some POV's I'd never done before which leads me into the warning at the bottom of this. **

**Neon: Yeah, I'm excited to write them. I love Wheeljack i really do and Percy I have a bit of an interesting theory for. **

**AutobotGuy710: Yeah, things are getting hecktick again. :) hold onto your hat!**

**Anodythe: Yeah, that might be a good idea to keep them on standby.**

**Princess Kassie: I'm not quite sure either but it's still a funny concept. **

**Guest: And i made it this week as well! I'm on a roll here. **

**Skyice98: Beat some sense into Chrome's somewhere on the list...**

**Clarissalightwood5679: Yeah, that's one way of putting it. And I can even imagine him throwing a temper tantrum. Alive is a bonus. I'm so glad you like that, i really did need to lay off on the gang for a bit and give them a break from life to just have a good time. **

**IMPORTANT**

**Kay, I already said in the previous chapter that this one would need a warning. Normally I hate these because they completely spoil the chapter but at the same time, I do know about triggers. **

**This first scene is an attempted suicide and because I've never done such an emotionally abusive scene, I kinda went all out on this. I'm quite happy with it but at the same time, as someone who's thought about suicide (though never attempted it) I do know this can be a very sensitive topic for people. **

**You have been warned. **

**So enjoy!**

* * *

He'd been caught in two cave-ins, both when he had been in Axiom. The first one hadn't been that bad. Sure the shaft had collapsed, but nobody had been buried or hurt to badly. The second one though… that… that was bad.

Only that stupid good luck everyone claimed he had kept him online when the roof had suddenly collapsed, the only warning being the loud crack of the main support giving out.

He'd been standing right beside it and when it gave out, it had knocked him to the ground just as a massive slab broke off the ceiling moments before the entire mine collapsed. He'd been nearly deafened in the collapse and his audios had still been ringing when he realised that nothing was moving.

Nothing was falling.

But worse, nothing was working.

He'd hit his helm, falling or something, and his HUD wasn't working. It would flicker on and off, staying off far longer before staring up with a flicker of static, then glitching out again.

That… that had been the worse.

He couldn't move, the slab's pressure keeping his vents from fully expanding and his headlights had both been shattered. The only light was the glow of his red optics.

He lost track of the time and he still didn't know how long it took him to realise that nobody was coming for him. He dug his way out, only to realise that the reason nobody was coming was because everyone else had been terminated.

Being blind was easy after being buried alive.

His HUD still worked so he wasn't in pitch darkness, and he could still replay memories files. But sometimes… they would replay when he didn't want them to.

Grieving the loss of his entire gang in the collapse, his servos still dripping energon from clawing his way to the surface.

That guard hovering over him moments before everything he knew was shattered.

The shocked look on his boss's faceplates as he realised the beam was going to fail half a nano-klck before it did.

Worse though, was when his processor got bored.

He always had hated staying still. Not nearly as bad as Sterling, frag nobody was as bad as Sterling, but he always had to be doing something with his servos. If he wasn't focusing on something, either fixing something, taking it apart, or working, his processor started to drift.

And now, with no visual input or something to keep his processor busy, it entertained itself in other ways.

Everyone had memory fluxes, you see so many mechs terminate in the worst ways and you either lose your spark or you relive it night after night.

It was always the same one, of being pinned underneath a massive weight, in pitch blackness, with no way out and the weight getting worse till someone, usually Eight, snapped him out of it.

Then he'd jerk upright, the weight gone, and see Eight hovering over him, red optic wide in alarm and asking if he was alright.

But now, they were even worse.

He was pinned in pitch blackness, clawing his way out from under tons of metal only to emerge at the peds of black figures with burning blue optics. Servos grabbed his shoulder guards despite his struggle and slammed him to the ground, the frames of his old gang turning to rust under him and filing the air with the smell of rotten energon. A force would hold his helm in place as a madly cackling figure leered over him, that clear bottle with the pure white label and stark black glyphs in his grip.

And then the pain.

With a shriek he lurched upright, tearing free from the restrains and his vents heaving. The problem was, just because he was up didn't mean the memory flux stopped. The figure, Ripsaw he knew without a doubt, retreated behind the glow of his HUD but never left, his eerie cackle still echoing in his audios.

With a weak groan he ground his servos into his empty optical sockets, ignoring the fire that it cause and continuing to rub at the scarring like he could shove the memory fluxes away. The pain became too much though and he dropped his servos, shivering as a wave of cold swept over him. He knew it was just his senses playing tricks on him, but he continued to tremble.

"Eight?" He asked weakly, sensor flaring to try and pick up a spark signature. To his dread, the only one he could detect was Sandstorm and judging from the harsh rumbling of his engine and the slight wheeze to his vents, he was in recharge.

He was alone.

And there was no way in pit he was going back into recharge. Not with Copper and Ripsaw just waiting for him to lose focus and attack him.

But… that wasn't a memory flux.

Copper was coming and there was nothing he could do about it-

With a snarl he shook the thought away and shot to his peds, anxiety kicking into high gear to the point he had started panting in fear.

Where the frag was everyone? Clout and Rock were usually back by now but Eight probably had another 18 joor orn. It would another three orns before he was back.

Primus that was too long!

Too hot air hissed from his vents as he stood up, carefully making his way to the back where the washrack was. He knew he had to be careful of the cleaner getting into some of the exposed circuitry that his visor normally protected but he didn't care at this point.

Copper was coming next orn and he was as good as offline anyways. He turned the taps on, hissing slightly as the cleaner hit his exhausted frame. He tipped his helm forward, letting it rest against the tiled wall and ignoring the feeling of the cleaner running down the sides of his helm. Soon the steady burn started up again as the fluid ran into his optical sockets and the half-scarred over protoform.

Instead of distracting him, the pain reminded him again of Ripsaw and he shuddered violently, servos clenching tight enough to hurt.

Someone was behind him and he whipped around but it was too loud, he couldn't hear anything over the roar of the cleaner and his own spark. Frantically he turned the taps off, but was only met with near silence other than the rapid heaves of his vents.

He was still alone but his rattled processor couldn't take much more of this and with a sob of relief and stress he sank to the ground, his back pressed against the wall as he wrapped his arms around his chassis.

He couldn't take this jumping at shadows slag any more. The stress and anxiety was going to get him before Copper did at this point.

Primus Copper… he was coming. And then he would dragged off to Kaon and- and….

He couldn't do this. Knowing when Copper was coming, it was a termination clock flashing neon red in his helm against the blackness of his vision.

Why couldn't he had been stronger like Sandy, or Carbon? Or Sterling, or anyone for that matter. Why was he so weak like this, snivelling in the corner of the washrack and too afraid of the memory fluxes to recharge?

Why did this have to happen at all?

Why was _he _grabbed! Sandstorm would have been able to fight then off, and this would have never happened!

No…

If _Ratchet_ had never come, the Guard would have never followed him home and cornered him in an alley, punching and kicking him till everything had spiraled into black and he onlined, alone and shackled, in that damp room. They'd beat him up again, and that time he'd onlined strapped down to that table.

Even after they had gouged out his optics they had continued to beat him. The funny part was, it the burning of the wounds going sour that hurt more than the abuse. Energon drying on his frame as it had poured down his armor before getting into his fuel lines and rotting there.

He'd used to be a horrible liar. A soon as anyone looked him in the optics he'd break down and confess. But now he couldn't see the looks on their faceplates when he said he was fine, the false smile he had plastered on at the bonfire just to get Sandy to stop hovering for a few joors. It was so easy to pretend everything was alright when nobody could read the pain his optics.

But now… after what Chrome said…. Everything shattered. What weak strength he was holding onto collapsed and he was freefalling into a pit of his own corrupted memories.

24 joors.

He was trembling again, he could hear his armor klick against itself in a steady beat and the way it echoed off the tiles. His fans were deafening in his audios and the drip of cleaner off his still wet frame sounded like gunshots.

Ripsaw's sadistic cackle started up again and he snarled, trying to force the awful sound to the back of his processer. His audios hurt and he realised he was squeezing his servos against them, trying to block the sound he knew only existed in his helm.

The laugher continued, mocking him and he curled up tighter against himself, gritting his denta as his helm and faceplates continued to burn. He didn't even know if it actually hurt that much or whether his processor was tormenting him again.

Hydrochloric acid flashed across his dark vision, black glyphs on a stark white label and clear jar. Bubbles rose to the surface of the fluid, popping like a gunshot and the figure cackling reaching a screaming pitch that threatened to shatter his audios.

He just wanted it to _stop!_

-and then it faded.

The noise, the sound, everything faded to a quiet, smooth sound. Like cutting mesh with shears.

It was all he could focus on and he locked onto it. A steady _tick tick_ sound of severing wires, a pop as something pressurised lost pressure.

Fluid covered his servo in a gush, the greasy texture reminding him of hydraulic fluid. A warm feeling spread down his arm, between his armor and down his servo, dripping off his limp digits.

Sharp stings in his wrist from severed wires sparking, a quiet gurgle as energon flowed down the washrack drain…

…and then silence. Completely, merciful silence.

No dripping.

No memory fluxes.

No laughing.

Ni annoying HUD warnings flashing red across a black background.

It was completely silent.

It was beautiful.

xxXXxx

Eight hissed quietly as the gash down the back of his leg pulled when he transformed at the side of the road. Struggling to hide the limp, he knew better then to show weakness, he made his way into the aptly named barracks, stumbling when he tripped over a chair one of the mechs had left out. With a scowl he carefully set it back, red optics glancing around the wide open area in confusion.

With Axil being blind, they had all made an effort to do little things like push the fraggin' chairs in so there was one less thing for the mech to trip on.

It was almost three in the morning but to his confusion, Sandstorm was the only one there. Normally where ever the tan miner was, Axil was there as well. He'd been acting odd since Sandstorm had come back completely overcharge the other night.

Shooting a nervous look at Sandstorm, he made as wide a berth around the recharging mech as possible. Despite the number of apologies, Eight still avoided the mech like rust after he was nearly stabbed accidently waking him.

A nervous sense of dread started to work its way down his spinal support. Something was wrong his processor screamed at him. Something was very wrong.

His thin armor flared in worry, he did his nightly round of the place because his paranoia wouldn't allow him to recharge unless he knew he was out of danger. Slinking into the washracks he was hit with the smell of energon and went rigid in alarm.

His first instinct was to run, get away from the poor mech before Masters with whips came to find out what happened and started beating false confessions out of mechs. The second, was to know who it was.

His servo found the light switch and he turned it on, winced as the bright light flooded his optics. When they refocused in the bright light, he wished he'd run when he had the chance.

Axil was slumped in the corner with his kneebolts drawn up to his chassis. His helm was tipped against the wall, empty optical sockets exposed and his arms limp in his lap.

Energon was everywhere.

It coated his arms, dripped down his side and covered the floor.

Eight took a step back in horror, his vents coming far too hard and fast. He had to get out, someone had attacked Axil, and he had to get out before he was next. Back into the shadows where the Masters wouldn't see him slinking along the wall and trying to stay out of sight.

He was about to bolt in terror when a weak, nearly inaudible rasp caught his attention. He spun back to face the mech in alarm as Axil's arm slid from his lap, a jagged shard of glass falling from his servo to clatter loudly to the floor.

"Axil…" Eight asked, his voice several octaves higher in fear as he took a half step toward the mech. Axil was one of the only mechs he trusted and despite knowing how much trouble he could get into, he slunk closer to the mech, ready to bolt if anyone showed up. "Axil are you… Axil…?"

Another weak hiss of air escaped from his frame as the mech shifted slightly and tipped over. Eight gasped as he caught the limp mech, shuddering at the feeling of energon rolling down his armor. He managed to ease the mech to the ground and couldn't help but gasp when he saw the deep, jagged gash between the plates of the mech's bracer.

"What did you do to yourself…!" Eight hissed, bolting for a rag. He grabbed the cleanest one he could find and dropped to Axil's side, pressing the rag against the gash to try and stop the leaking. Hesitating just a moment, he shot to his peds again and ran to Sandstorm, freezing just outside of the mech's impressive range.

He knew the mech knew a medic, but he knew he would get hurt if he wasn't fast enough.

But after his brother was shot, Primus, Axil was the only mech he could still trust. He couldn't- couldn't loose him too.

Forcing his frame to move, he hesitantly nudged Sandstorm. To his relief and alarm, nothing happened so he shoved the mech harder.

"Sandstorm get up!" He weakly called, too panicked to think straight as he shook the mech. He didn't even receive a grunt and abandoning the effort, he ran back to Axil.

"Axil, Axil you have to online." He begged, pressing against the energon soaked rag as hard as he could to stop the energon from pouring out of the mech's arm. "Axil please, I don't know a medic, you have to online! Please don't leave me…"

"Eight…." Axil wheezed, his helm turning toward Eight's voice.

"You have to send me the medic's comm Axil." Eight continued, energon still soaking though his digits. To his relief, a comm link frequency popped up on his HUD and he wasted no time opening the comm.

"**Wha…?"** A recharge filled voice asked and Eight hesitated just a moment. **"Who the frag…Do ya know wha' fraggin time it is…?"**

"**I-I need a medic. Axil's cut himself bad and-"**

"**He **_**what**_**?!"**

The yell made his spark stop and he immediately started to ramble.

"**I just found him and he's barely conscious and there's energon everywhere, I can't stop it and my scanners are worthless I can't even detect his spark-"**He stammered.

"**Calm down, calm down! What's the coordinates."** The medic interrupted in a sharp tone.

Eight sent them before glancing over his shoulder guard in hopes that somebody that he knew would show up. He was too sacred for this. He was too scared for a new mech to be here.

"**Huh. That's not even that far away." **The medic mumbled. **"Be there in ten klicks."**

ooOOoo

It was the longest ten klicks of his life and Eight nearly jumped out of his armor when someone knocked on the front door. Rock and Clout never knocked so it had to be the medic.

Stray, panicked, thoughts of 'don't let him in' 'he's a stranger' 'can't trust him' flooded his processor and he froze.

But at the same time he knew Axil needed medical helm and chances were that _was_ the medic. More energon oozing past his digits as well at the mech _pounding_ on the door made up his processor and he bolted for the door, pulling the bar away to open it.

A grey mech with florescent yellow accents stood in front of him, vents running at almost full speed as he panted.

"Where's Axil." He demanded. Eight tensed at his aggressive manner, dropping his optics nervously and stumbling out of his way.

"In- in the back. In the washracks." He stammered and the mech brushed past him, practically running toward the back.

Eight hesitated again before following after him, still not trusting the mech alone with the only mech he trusted enough to call friend. He stayed by the doorframe though, to sacred to be caught in the room with a stranger to go in.

"I-I tried to stop the fluid…" He started to say but trailed off when the mech glanced at him with bright red optics.

"Probably saved his life. Slagger would have leaked out." He growled, subspacing a pouch full of energon as he continued to snarl quietly. "Fragger said he was fine. Fine my _aft!"_

Eight flinched at the yell, taking a half step back. The mech was so angry. This was a bad idea. This is what happens when he made decisions that weren't his to make.

"Come over here and hold this. I don't have Sterling sticking a knife in the wall this time." The medic said in a somewhat softer tone.

Eight fought down the alarm at the mech's casual statement but he couldn't get his legs to move. Every line of coding in his frame was rebelling at the idea of getting with in grabbing range. The mech was a medic. He could hurt him so badly the whippings would be welcomed.

"Get in here!"

It was a direct order and he knew without a doubt he would be punished if he didn't listen.

Fear propelled him forward, hesitating just out of arms reach.

"Hold this, but don't squeeze it." The mech ordered and Eight hesitantly took the fragile looking bag. "That's medical grade energon. It will help get him stable. Idiot glitch."

Eight flinched at the insult, his grip accidently tightening on the thin bag and he almost dropped it when he realised what he'd done. No yell or blow came but he didn't relax his tense frame. So many things could still go wrong.

"How the frag did he cut himself open like this." The mech muttered to himself.

"Gl-glass." Eight stammered, not sure if he was being spoken to or not. "He was holding glass when I found him. It's over there."

The mech turned to look where he was pointing and snarled another curse.

"That cube he broke. Fraggit why didn't I think of that…"

Eight watched as the medic continued working, easily fusing cut tubing and spicing wires back together.

"How did you get my comm? Sandy's practically in stasis so you didn't get it from him." The medic asked suddenly, his tone neutral and Eight nearly panicked at his unreadable mood.

"Axil was…was still conscious." Eight said, trying to keep the fear out of his voice. Masters hated weakness. "Barely but he was able to send me the frequency. I- I tried to get Sandstorm but he's dangerous and-"

The medic snorted, a wiry smirk crossing his faceplates as he gently pulled Axil upright, supporting the mech's limp frame with an arm around his back. He slid his other arm under the mech's kneebolts and with a grunt, lifted him to his chassis, cradling him gently.

"Don't let that thing pull out." The medic ordered as he started for the door. Eight immediately fell in step behind the mech, carful to keep the line from pulling too tight. "Which is his berth?"

"The one across from Sandstorm." Eight replied and the medic shifted to gently set Axil down on the berth, gently folding his arms over his chassis before scowling.

"Does he have a visor laying around?" He asked, glancing up at Eight. "He shouldn't leave his optics bare like that."

"No, he always subspaces it for night."

"Fraggit." The medic snarled before rubbing the side of his neck cables. Abruptly he subspaced what looked like short thin spike and drove it onto the wall. He gestured for the bag of energon and Eight handed it over, careful not to touch the medic. He hung the bag on the end of the spike before his gaze slid to Sandstorm. "He's dangerous to surprise?"

"Yes…" Eight said hesitantly, watching the mech nervously as all the warning bells in his helm went off.

"Well, let's just see about that." The medic growled, stalking over to Sandstorm.

He could only watch in dumb, open mouth shock as the medic roughly grabbed the mech by his shoulder guard and hipbolt and bodily threw him off the other side of the berth.

With a wild yell Sandstorm was on his peds and launching himself at the medic and Eight gasped in alarm as the medic easily caught Sandstorm's arm and flipped him over his shoulder guard, slamming him to the ground.

"Wake up ya glitch!" The medic yelled as Sandstorm sat up, clutching his helm with a string of curses.

"Wha' tah frag…?" Sandstorm slurred, shaking his helm before glancing up to see the medic. "Ratchet?! What are you-"

"I though you said you were watching Axil!" The medic yelled, armor flaring in aggression that usually meant someone was going to get beaten. Eight shrank back a step as Sandstorm pressed a servo to his helm with a snarl.

"I was! Fraggit Ratchet it's the middle of the nigh! He's tired, I'm tired-"

"Axil tried to slice his bracer open!"

Sandstorm blinked a few times before slowly getting his peds.

"What… what do you mean…?" He asked in a weak voice.

"Actually I should say _succeeded_." The medic continued with a snarl. "The only reason he's even online is because _he-_"

Eight recoiled as a digit was jabbed in his direction.

"-commed me!"

"What?! But he-! I was just-!" Sandstorm sputtered, optics wide in alarm.

"Forget it… It's my fault for not keeping a closer optic on him." The medic said with a sigh, dragging a servo down his neck cables again. "He's fine. I got to him in time."

"How… how bad… did he…?" Sandstorm asked hesitantly, glancing over at the Eight.

"He sliced his bracer open from elbow joint to wrist joint and managed to sever every major fluid line in his arm." The medic said with a low snarl. "Best case scenario, he has a tremor in his servo, worse case, he can't move it at all. The idiotic fragger managed to slice the hydraulic _cylinder_ open! Forget the tubing he _cut_ the pit spawn thing open!"

"But he's- he's alright right?" Sandy repeated nervously.

"For now." The medic grumbled, shooting a murderous glare at the unconscious miner. Eight took another step back at the sudden hostility, fear making him tremble as he found himself up against the wall. The medic's gaze suddenly snapped over to him to pin him in place.

"What happened to your leg." He demanded.

Eight panicked.

"No-nothing. It's fine." He stammered, spark freezing in raw terror. He should have run, he should have gotten out before the medic got here. "I'm alright-"

"Sit down and let me look at it." The medic ordered, taking a step toward him. Eight shot a panicked look toward Sandy but the mech's gaze was on the floor. Armor pinned tight against his frame he did as ordered, sinking into his berth beside Axil. The medic was beside him and he tried to force himself to calm down but he couldn't.

He was just too scared. He was fine, he could still work he didn't need anyone to look at the gash, he was fine. Please no he could still work, he was still strong…

"Lay down on your chassis, I want to see that gash better." The medic said, his tone neutral and with a shudder Eight did as ordered, expecting the beating at any moment. He couldn't see the medic but he knew he was right beside him and when a servo brushed against the still painful wound he jerked, a whimper escaping his engine.

The servo immediately retracted and Eight braced for the blow that he knew would come.

"Mercy…" He whispered and he heard the medic gasp sharply.

"You're… you're that scared of me." He said in a soft voice and Eight glanced at him out of the corner of his optic. To his surprise the medic looked… almost sad as he deliberately backed off, servos loose at his sides. "Primus, I'm not used to the flight aspect of flight or flight. I swear I'm not going to hurt you but if you still want me to back off I will."

"Why does he get a choice!" Sandstorm objected hotly, making Eight flinch again.

"Because you crazy glitches threatened to rip my helm off." The medic snapped. "I was more scared of _you_ then you were ever of me_._"

"Heh. True." Sandstorm said with a laugh as Eight nervously shifted away, confusion filling his frame and tight EM field. The medic was far more powerful then him but hadn't hit him. In fact, the medic had backed off to the other side of Axil, watching the stasis locked mech with a frown.

"Make sure you keep that dry." The medic said suddenly, red optics lifting just enough to catch Eight's before dropping again. "There's a reason we have protoform and that's to keep circuitry from shorting out and from rust getting into the wound. I'd prefer if you'd let me fix it but I understand your fear and I have a horrible feeling I know what did that but humor me."

"I-I wasn't fast enough." He said hesitantly. "The M-Master caught me with a whip…"

"Fraggers!" The medic spat harshly and instinctively Eight shot off the berth, stumbling backwards into the wall and making him flinch as the hit jarred his leg.

"Not you, the mech that did that." The medic said, his tone far softer as he gave Eight another concerned look that bordered on possessive. "And I expect you to use my comm again if that gets worse. Any colored energon starts leaking out of that, comm me. Is that clear."

"Yesssir." Eight stammered.

"I told you they had it worse off than us." Sandstorm said quietly and the medic sighed, crossing his arms over his chassis to turn to Sandstorm.

"I know I just…" The medic trailed off with another weak snarl. "Nobody deserves that. Deserves _this._" He gestured toward Axil. "Fraggin Guard…."

At that moment Axil screamed, clawing at his bracer frantically and only the medic practically jumping on his kept him from falling off the berth.

"Axil! Axil it's me! It's Ratchet!" The medic said loudly, his grip gentle as he kept the mech from yanking out the thin tube still stuck in his bracer.

"He can't hear you." Eight mumbled but it was enough for the medic to hear him. Red optics snapped up to him and Eight dropped his optics instantly.

"He's still in stasis. Can you snap him out of it." He demanded.

"Sometimes."

"Then get over here before he rips that weld open." The medic ordered as Axil bucked again.

Eight was instantly at his side before shooting a nervous look at the medic. He gave him an encouraging nod and took a step back, releasing Axil.

Immediately he went back to the IV and Eight took his servo, barley able to keep the stronger mech from clawing at the line.

"Axil, it's Eight." He said quietly, using his other servo to gently stroke the miner's cheek plating. "It's Eight, come on mech, it's just another memory flux, you got to online. You hurt yourself, you have to online."

A weak rasp escaped the mech and Eight nearly jumped out of his armor as the medic dropped to his kneebolts on the other side of the miner.

"…no… stop it…" Axil whimpered and the medic visibly tensed as Eight continued stroking the side of the miner's helm and quietly murmuring to him. He was almost online.

"Eight…?"

"I'm here. You scared us." Eight replied as Axil squeezed his servo in a vice-like grip.

"Ratchet? What are you- no!"

Axil shot upright, swaying dangerously and the medic grabbed his shoulder guard to steady him as the miner violently trembled and heaving vents wracked his frame

"No no no no no no…" He repeated, once again clawing as the gash on his bracer.

"You have to stop it!" The medic ordered, forcing Axil's servo away. "Axil you tried to terminate yourself!"

"…won't stop laughing…" The miner cried as he struggled weakly against the medic's hold.

"For fraggin sakes Axil do _not_ make me knock you out!" The medic snapped and Axil froze. "Now what in _pit _were you thinking!"

"I just wanted him to stop laughing." He said quietly before sagging against the medic, frame still trembling. "I just wanted him to stop..."

"Laughing?" The medic asked quietly, turning to look at Sandstorm. "What's he talking about? What laughing? Who's laughing?"

Sandstorm shrugged in confusion and both mechs turned to look at Eight.

"He says he see someone hovering over him and laughing." Eight said after he remembered to keep cycling air. "A big, jagged, dark shadow with blue optics."

"The Guard." The medic snarled viciously as he gently laid Axil back down. "I'd bet my spark it's the Guard. He's in recharge now, that burst of energy's completely worn him out. Hopefully he's too weak and exhausted to have another memory flux."

"But he's alright…?" Sandstorm asked hesitantly and the medic gave him a murderous look.

"Did that look like a mech that's alright?" he asked flatly and Sandstorm wilted.

"Yeah, stupid question." He mumbled before sinking with a groan onto the edge of his berth and dropping his helm into his servos. "Well now what?"

"I don't know." The medic said. "I'll try and-"

The door slammed open, making the medic jump. Sandstorm was on his peds with a snarl, blades drawn. Eight nearly dove under the berth in a panic –he forgot to bar the door!-as the medic got to his peds.

"Good your up what's that formech of your's look like." Rock demanded as he stormed in. He saw the medic and snarled, heavy armor flaring in aggression. "Who's he!"

"Doesn't matter." Sandstorm interrupted. "Copper's a low brown thing with gold pinstripes. Why? What? What's going on?"

"Some fancy royal is getting escorted by half a dozen Guard are heading this way." Rock growled. "Clout's outside watching for them but I'd bet this hangover that's him."

"He's early." The medic said, glancing at Sandstorm. "That pit-spawn fragger is early!"

* * *

**And back to the drama! Muahahaha!  
**

**So here's my option about he differences between someone like Sandstorm and the rest of the gang compared to someone like Eight. Yes, both are at the bottom of the food chain, but Eight is at the bottom of the bottom. Where as Sandy and the others (for the most part) have their physical strength and their gang to depend on, (fight instinct) Eight and other factory workers are very much so in a dog-eat-dog world. NOBODY is on their side and anyone that says otherwise is a liar out for their own good. (flight)**

**Ratchet offering to repair him scared the slag out of him because one: nobody does anything that wont involve personal gain, and two: their version of a medic is pretty much Flatline. Ya'll remember that sadistic son of a glitch. :) So you'd better hope your dying before you ask for help. **

**So pretty much, the miner's challenge the world, factory workers fear it.**

**As usual, any questions PM me. **

**Read and Review, I love you guys!**


	33. Fracture

**Ok, so this chapter EXPLODED on me so i ended up having to break it in half making this a three part chapter because _technically_ this is still the same time as chapter 32. But technicalities aside, I liked this chapter. It ended up taking over and i went 'woah woah! don't like the ending' and so i spent all night running this chapter through my head, trying to change the ending so nobody dies. :D It worked so, nobody dies. And no warnings other then the usual miner mouth and minor bloodshed every T rated fic has. (HA! Totally didn't see the pun. No pun intended, honestly)**

**Important at the bottom!**

**Guest: We'll see what happens :D**

**Rogue8496: Your wish is my command. **

**KayleeChiara: Trust me, I'm on an awesome brain wave and when I crash, it's probably gonna be for two months again and leave me in tears... i hate writers block... I'm so glad you like it though, it honestly does wonders for my self confidence. **

**Neon: Ah, the joys of pre-war era you can do almost what ever you like and get away with it. And when you think about it, Sandy was half asleep and he _has_ been teaching Ratchet how to defend himself. That and the mental image was completely priceless :D And happy ending...? Maybe. Eventually. At some point. But not this chapter. :D**

**Bluefeather4299: As you wish. **

**The Chemist: Found it. Good Ratchet fics, hum. Check out AutobotGuy710. He's got a great one in the works about Ratchet and one that finished about Prowl, both adopting human charges. Really awesome and maybe he'll finish The Long Road to happily Ever After. The other one i really like is Turning Points by Alathea2 and if you like Prowl/Jazz Third Wheel by Bibliotecaria.D is to die for funny. Also check out Need2Scream's world. S/he puts a completely different twist on transformers and I absolutely LOVE the concept. Otherwise check out my favorites, not all are done but they're all good in their own way.**

**AutobotGuy710: So, not quite as far as i wanted but like i said, it kinda took over. Next chapter you-know-who looks like and idiot.  
**

**Child of Jon Snow: I'm glad you liked it, it was VERY different writing from his POV then what I'm used to. Actually gave me a really good idea that you're gonna have to find. **

* * *

Sandstorm's spark nearly stalled when Rock burst into the room, demanded what Copper looked like and who the frag Ratchet was.

"Doesn't matter." He interrupted before the mech decided Ratchet wasn't welcomed. "Copper's a low brown thing with gold pinstripes. Why? What? What's going on?"

"Some fancy royal is getting escorted by half a dozen Guard are heading this way." Rock growled, gesturing toward the door. "Clout's outside watching for them but I'd bet this hangover that's him."

"He's early." Ratchet said, turning to look at Sandstorm. "That pit-spawn fragger is early!"

Sandstorm didn't know how to respond as he gaze slid to his unconscious friend. Primus if he could have just watched the mech like he was told.

"Well now what." Rock demanded. "Ain't no royal taking our mech."

"We run." Ratchet said quietly and Sandstorm snapped his gaze to him in alarm.

"What are you?! A coward?!" Rock spat, armor flaring dangerously. Sandstorm snarled, taking a step forward but Ratchet beat him to it.

"You want to fight off half a dozen Elite Guard!" Ratchet barked, standing his ground. "Be my guest! But I'm taking Axil, and we're gonna get the frag out of here while we still have a chance. Avalon will rip the city apart looking for him and if you ever want to see Axil functioning again, you're gonna let me leave."

"That CR what-ever-its-called." Sandstorm said quietly and Ratchet stiffened.

"How did you-"

"You and Chrome weren't exactly very quiet."

"Fraggit." Ratchet cursed. "Yeah. That's the plan."

"Then go. We'll keep 'em distracted." Sandy said, glancing at Rock. The big mech straightened with a dangerous smirk.

"Do _not_ terminate anyone, is that clear!" Ratchet growled.

"No promises." Rock said lowly and the medic scowled before turning to Sandstorm.

"I'm deadly serious, do _not_ attack them." He repeated. "The _only_ way that will play out is with you offline."

"Like Rock said, that fragger isn't getting Axil." Sandstorm said with a feral grin. Ratchet snarled at him before turning to Eight.

"Do you know the safest route to the warehouse districts from here?" He asked in a far gentler tone then Sandstorm had ever heard.

"Yes-s-s…" Eight stammered, scared red optics darting over to Sandy. The tan mech nodded before turning to Rock.

"How much time?"

"Few klicks." He replied.

"Then we're out of here." Ratchet said before crouching down next to Axil and pulling a needle full of neon green liquid out of subspace.

"What is that?" Sandstorm asked, the drug unfamiliar to him. Ratchet gave a humorless smirk.

"You know that kick Chrome's highgrade gives you?" He asked and Sandstorm nodded nervously.

"Triple that, and it happens instantly." Ratchet explained, injecting the drug into a port on the IV line. "It's called nitrios oxide-"

"Nox." Rock supplied in surprise.

"-thats the illegal version." Ratchet growled, "But yes, it's the same stuff, just in a different formula-"

Axil jolted online with a gasp and Ratchet grabbed his shoulder guard even as Sandstorm jumped a good three feet in the air.

"Come on, we have to move, no time for a meltdown." Ratchet ordered, hauling the still weak and disoriented mech to his peds. "Back door?"

"This way." Eight said, gesturing Ratchet to follow him out the back.

Sandstorm watched them leave and instantly felt the tension in the room spike.

"Who the frag is he." Rock snarled.

"He's our apprentice medic." Sandstorm replied in a dangerous tone. "So leave him alone. I trust him to do this. Chrome's been acting… odd about this and I trust Ratchet a pit load more than Chrome at the moment.-"

The door slid open and a mech darted in before it closed just as fast and he threw the bar in place.

"There is a fraggin lot of Guard outside and I want to know why." Clout snarled, red optics locked on Sandy.

"Told you, they're after Axil." Sandstorm explained just as the door shuddered with a heavy blow. "Work with me alright?"

"Open up!" A voice snarled and Sandy tensed as he recognised the voice of the Captain of the Elite Guard.

"Do it." Sandy mumbled quietly and Clout gave a mischievous grin, yanking the door open just as someone hit it again.

The black mech fell through the door way with a started yelp.

"Sliding doors don't need to be broken down." Clout growled before a pair of rifles were shoved in his faceplates. Nano-klicks later and the rest of the Guard had poured in, rifles trained on all three mechs.

"Where is-" The jagged black form of Ripsaw started to snarl before Sandstorm cut him off with a furious roar of his engine.

"Where is he!" He yelled, armor standing on utter end and making him look twice his size. "Where's Axil! What did you do to him!"

"What the pit are you talking about." Copper demanded as he walked in, all shiny brown armor and Elite attitude.

"Your murderer! He's gone!" Sandstorm roared, taking a step toward the Elite only for the rifles to power up with a harsh whine. "There's energon everywhere now what did you do to him!"

"I was going to ask you the same thing." Copper growled, confusing filling his blue optics before anger replaced it. "I wouldn't put it past your gang to try something. It's not gonna work. Where are you hiding the blind mech!"

"Look for yourself!" Sandy continued at a yell, throwing an arm out toward the washracks. "Your fraggin hit squad already got him!"

Half a dozen danger filled blue optics turned to him and Sandy almost shrank back at the sudden target painted in red on his chassis but he didn't dare back down now. One of the Guard lowered his weapon, darting into the back and coming back a moment later nodding.

From the look on Copper's faceplates, it was obvious that the Guard had said something over a private comm that he didn't like.

Ripsaw turned to him with a snarl, his own armor flared.

"You're lying. Where are you hiding him."

"I told you, he's gone." Sandstorm repeated in a low voice that spoke volumes about his short temper.

"Sir." One of the guard said quietly from where he had been standing by Axil's berth. Sandstorm watched as Ripsaw stalked over, then crouched down abruptly.

His spark stopped when the black mech stood with a triumphant grin, his digits wet with energon.

"Then care to tell me where scrap metal drones such as yourself managed to get medical grade energon?" He asked softly.

"Chrome!" Copper spat viciously, servo fisting as his side as Ripsaw stalked over to Sandstorm.

"I won't ask you again." Ripsaw asked quietly. "Where is the one you call Axil."

"Try looking up your aft." Sandstorm shot back with a snarl.

"Last warning Bait."

Sandstorm snarled, engine rumbling in a dangerous warning.

"For the last time, I came in here and there was energon everywhere." Sandstorm growled, remembering what Ratchet had said but just barely holding back the urge to rip the mech apart. "I don't know where he is."

"You don't like it when I call you that." Ripsaw asked with a smirk. "Do you Bait."

A sneer crossed Sandy features but he didn't move as Ripsaw got well within his personal space.

"Get away from me." He snarled lowly, denta bared.

"Or what." Ripsaw asked in a soft tone. "You can't do anything. And I'll tell you this, when I get my servos on that mech, I'll do far more then grind his optics into splitters-"

With a shriek of rage that sounded like it belonged to a seeker, Sandstorm attacked the Guard.

xxXXxx

Ratchet remained pressed up against the wall, vents slowed as much as he dared to keep from making any noise. Beside him, Axil was just barely standing, leaning heavily on Ratchet and drifting between conscious and stasis.

"Stay with me Axil." Ratchet whispered, nudging the mech. Axil nodded as his vents continued to rasp. He was far too weak to up, let alone moving around like this. The nitrous oxide would only give him so much strength and it was risky with him still being so low on energon.

** "Come on, it's clear." **Eight said from where he was hiding in the shadows across the street. Ratchet nodded before nudging Axil again. The mech straightened before following Ratchet across the street, only stumbling once before making it across.

"I think I know the rest of the way." Ratchet said quietly, watching Eight out of the corner of his optic. He was rapidly figuring out the mech hated any kind of attention. "The less you know the better it will be."

The mech cringed before shaking his helm.

"Doesn't matter." He mumbled. "I'm gonna get hurt anyways."

Ratchet hissed air from his vents, careful not to allow his engine to growl at the thought.

"The less I know the better. Fewer mechs will get hurt." He continued, glancing around. "If you head that way it's more shadowed."

"Thanks." Ratchet said quietly before pausing and turning back toward the already moving mech. "Eight!"

The mech spun to him in a near panic.

"I'm serious about using my comm." Ratchet said gently. "If you ever need my help-"

To his surprise the thin mech gave him a weak smile, shaking his helm.

"Nobody does anything for free, you should know that." He said, before dropping his optics again. "I- I can't…"

"Eight I'm serious-"

"So am I!"

Eight jerked back, surprised at his outburst and even Axil glanced up at him in surprise.

"Sandstorm and the others are going to get in a lot of trouble." He almost whispered. "I've already cost my brother his life, I don't want anyone else to suffer because of me."

"Eight…" Ratchet growled low under his breath before gently nudging Axil toward the wall. The mech leaned against it, his helm lowered again his chassis.

Hesitantly and not wanting to scare him, Ratchet walked over to the skittish mech, stopping just outside his tight EM filed.

"You want to do something for me?" He asked, keeping his voice down. "Then take care of Axil."

The mech's shocked optics shot up to his.

"What do you…?" He stammered.

"Even if this works, he's still gonna be skittish." Ratchet said. "He scared Eight, and he's gonna need a friend that doesn't scare him back. And quite frankly, it looks like you could use one as well."

The mech didn't answer, and Ratchet hesitated before reaching out and resting a servo on the mech's shoulder guard. He flinched, but didn't pull away.

"Keep that wound clean, you got that?" Ratchet asked and the mech nodded as Ratchet backed off. "Be careful."

The mech gave him another small smile.

"I've been on my own almost my whole life, I'll manage." He said before turning away and transforming, racing off into the dark. Ratchet watched him before turning back to Axil.

"Come on, we're almost there." Ratchet said as he draped Axil's arm over his shoulder guards again.

**"Wheeljack! It's Ratchet."**

**"We're almost ready, where are you?"** The mech replied, sounding far to chipper for 4 in the morning.

**"Few blocks away. He's weak and it's slow going." **Ratchet replied as he and Axil slunk down another alley.

**"Whenever you get here. Percy's got connections higher up that things are getting shaky. I suggest you step on it."**

**"Going as fast as we can." **Ratchet replied, glancing down a road to make sure it was safe. He wasn't neon yellow anymore but he would still stand out in high beams. As fast as they could Ratchet led him back to the warehouse but just before they reached it Axil's strength finally gave out on him.

"Can't…" he slurred as his legs collapsed, nearly dragging Ratchet down with him. Ratchet snarled a curse, hauling Axil upright again.

"Fraggit, we're almost there." He snarled though gritted denta as he kept moving.

"No!" Axil whimpered before letting himself fall. This time Ratchet couldn't keep him upright and he dropped to one kneebolt as Axil slumped to the ground.

"Axil, come on! You have to get up!" Ratchet begged, optics darting around nervously. They were exposed and with the Guard following them this was _not the time_!

"You should have let me _terminate!"_ Axil spat. "You shouldn't have stopped me!"

"And why the frag not!" Ratchet demanded. "Axil you aft, you're my friend!"

"It's your fault…" Axil hissed. "Gonna get me eventually…"

"Yeah I know and I'm trying to fix it. Axil, please." Ratchet begged. "This… Axil I know some mechs that might be able to give you back your sight."

"It's impossible." Axil snarled. "You and Chrome both said that!"

"And Chrome lied!" Ratchet snapped. "We… we both did. I should have told you about the CR chamber."

"Ratchet!?"

The medic snapped around to see a sporty white altmode race toward them. Abruptly he hit the brakes, skidding and transforming to a stop.

"We saw you collapse, everything alright?" He demanded, jogging over. Axil jolted at the presence of another mech and Ratchet caught his arm.

"Axil, this is Wheeljack. He's one of the mechs that can repair your optics." Ratchet said and Axil froze.

"You…. You… mean…" He stammered before shaking his helm, his frame trembling. "No! You're lying! You're lying…"

"I'm not." Ratchet repeated as Wheeljack backed off in confusion. Venting a sigh, he subspaced a pair of round objects, forcing them into Axil's servos and his digits to close around the fragile orbs.

"What-"

"They're optics." Ratchet said. "I've had them since I found out about the CR because I knew Chrome want's nothing to do with it. I knew Copper would probably try something and I took them just in case something like this happened."

"You're… you're…"

"Come on." Ratchet said with a grin, grabbing Axil's arm and dragging him upright. "You up for it?"

"I'll… I'll be able to read…"

Wheeljack stiffened, optics wide in shock as Ratchet grinned up at him.

"Yeah. Yeah you will." Ratchet confirmed as Axil struggled to his peds. Wheeljack darted over, the slimmer mech throwing Axil's other arm over his shoulder guards.

xxXXxx

Sandstorm shuddered as the iron vice on his processor tightened. His claws flexed against Ripsaw's grip, struggling to reach the datacord plugged into the base of his helm and get Ripsaw out of his _fraggin processor!_

_"Won't work _Bait."

The insult sent another wave of rage though the mech and despite the gouges covering his frame he threw his weight backwards, trying to get free. But Ripsaw had beat him good and he hardly shifted the mech let alone got his arms free.

_"Where'd they go!"_

_"Eat slag!"_

He gritted his denta, claws digging deep enough into his own servos to draw energon as that vice tightened, threating to shatter his firewalls and crush his processor. Why the frag the spawn of a glitch didn't get it over with he didn't know.

_"Because this is way more fun."_

"You're wasting my time." Copper growled from somewhere behind him. "It'd be faster to just go after that medic like I told you."

"You should know by now that they don't answer to anything but force." Ripsaw said.

"Get it over with. I need to know where Ratchet went."

"Suit yourself."

Sandstorm shrieked as his firewalls collapsed, the iron force of Ripsaw ripping though his defences like they didn't exist. He tore through his memory files, scattering then like datapads and sending spikes of hot agony deep through every string of his coding.

After what felt like an eternity, Ripsaw backed out and yanked his datacord free, letting Sandstorm slump to the flor clutching his helm as a cry escaped his vocal processor. Primus everything _hurt_. He couldn't think… think… straight…

"He doesn't know where they went. Ratchet mentioned something called CR but the files were too corrupted to open." Ripsaw said. "It's somewhere in the warehouse district. He's got another mech taking him there, some factory worker."

"Great, that's only a couple hundred square miles of maze to look through!" Copper spat. "Forget about him, find that blind mech! Avalon wants his helm!"

"What about Sterling."

"He's already offline, he'll be easy." Copper growled. "Primus, I left Praxus for this? Avalon owes me one pit of a vacation after this. "

Sandstorm managed to get his helm up to see the two mechs turn and leave.

"Oh… no ya… don't…" He rasped silently, servo sliding to over to find the wall. He found it and slowly got his kneebolts. The room pitched to the side and he snarled weakly, clenching his denta as he sunk his claws into the wall.

"You're still functional?" Ripsaw asked and Sandy forced his optics online to see Ripsaw watching him with a crooked smirk. "Most mechs are usually in stasis by now."

"Ya'rdly… 'ardly touched me…" He rasped, managing to get a ped under his frame. He tipped sideways against the wall and nearly fell but he kept his balance only by sheer stubbornness and the fact that his claws were still buried in the wall.

"You can hardly stand."

"I can… do...more… then that…" Sandy snarled, literally dragging his frame up the wall. As soon as he was upright he continued to sway dangerously. Ripsaw turned to fully face him, grinning openly as he took a step toward Sandstorm.

"Still have some fight in you?" He asked, clearly amused.

"Now is not the time Ripsaw." Copper growled.

"Sterling isn't going anywhere. You said yourself he's offline." Ripsaw said. "Besides, this one's from Tarn, my home state. The least I could do is amuse him."

"You have a job to do. Now move." Copper ordered and with a shrug, Ripsaw started to turn away.

And exposed his back.

Ripsaw was more dangerous than any mech he had ever known. Ripsaw wasn't in the public optic like Copper or any of the others, and he had a badge that let him get away with anything.

He's already blinded Axil for no reason other than to prove a twisted point. Ratchet and his friend had left their home to move farther out of Iacon just to get away from the danger they were in.

He'd already beaten him to a scrap and fragmented him, he wouldn't even hesitate to rip Eight apart, mentally and physically.

Sandy knew the skinny mech was scared of him and with his lighting fast temper and dangerous reflexes, he wasn't surprised. But Eight wasn't the only one to lose a brother and in his own way, Sandy had watched out for the mech. Axil also reminded him of his brother, that easy going attitude and desire to learn. Both mechs were close to him in a way he was hesitant to admit out loud and there was no way in _Pit_ he was going to allow that Elite Guard to hurt his friends. Not Ratchet, or Sterling, or Eight and sure as _frag_ not Axil again!

All that flashed though his broken processor in a moment.

Primus, give me strength.

Without a sound, Sandstorm gathered what little strength he had left and launched himself at Ripsaw. Some instinct had the mech turning at the last moment and with a startled, cut off cry, Sandstorm buried his claws in the mech's throat cables. A snarl escaped his engine as he felt minor fluid lines break and thicker, more vital lines pulse under his claws as Ripsaw grabbed at his wrists.

"Guards!" Copper nearly shrieked as Sandstorm continued to squeeze. Ripsaw struggled under him but Sandstorm was desperate and he was stubborn. Sandy wasn't the only one hurt, he'd managed to rip a few good holes in the Elite's hide and he had lost energon as well. More than that, this wasn't the first time he'd had his claws buried in someone's throat. He may not be a medic but he did know what energon lines needed to be severed to terminate a mech. Just a little deeper-

Energon gushed from the mech's throat cables at the same time the door burst open again. Sandstorm released the other mech, diving to the side with impossible strength that was born of sheer determination.

"Get him!" Someone yelled as he launched himself toward the door. His blades were locked in subspace but that didn't stop him from ripping his claws across a mech's throat cables as he sprinted past. His processor was too fragmented for him to think clearly and he was running on pure instinct as he ran.

Gun fire rang out but he didn't make a sound as a shot tore through his side. His leg gave out and he fell hard, rolling before once again getting to his peds and continuing despite the heavy energon trail he was leaving.

He collide with a door, snarling when his shoulder guard cracked painfully against it. It slid open and he stumbled out into a dark alley. He forced his frame to transform, and tore off into the dark.

xxXXxx

Axil stiffened as soon as the smell of the lab hit him.

"You found him?"

He did jump when Perceptor came around the corner abruptly, holding a datapad and not even glancing up at them.

"Yeah, we're good." Ratchet said, giving the slim red mech a tired smile.

"Good, the Chamber is ready. I've programmed the nanites-" he started to say before Axil dug his peds in, jerking Ratchet and Wheeljack to a stop.

"Programed?" He demanded in alarm.

"Not what you think." Ratchet quickly assured him. "Self-repair nanites. He's programed them to take the scaring down, rebuild the circuitry, that kinda thing."

"I won't…"

**"You won't end up like Sterling." **Ratchet assured him. **"I'll be monitoring the whole thing. It will be fine."**

Axil nodded before relaxing slightly even though he was still leaning heavily on Ratchet and tence.

"Come on, it's this way." Ratchet said as he guided Axil around a table. He gave Wheeljack a pointed look before gesturing to the fresh scorch marks. The mech shrugged his free shoulder, vocal indicators flashing in an obvious smirk.

They got around to the back and Ratchet saw Perceptor standing by that odd cylinder from before. This time though, it was over half full of that pale green solution.. Wires and tubes were neatly coiled on top of the cylinder off to the side out of the liquid.

Perceptor glanced up finally and visibly stiffened, blue optics locked on Axil's scared faceplates. As though he could sense the sudden attention, Axil dropped his helm, a distressed sound escaping his engine.

"You're… you're sure this… will work?" He asked quietly. Ratchet glanced over at the mech, for the first time second guessing himself. It was one thing to know something, it was another to be standing with the mech that's life was in the balance.

"Yes." Perceptor said simply despite the fact that he looked like he could launch into a long winded speech. "There's a 86% chance it will repair the damage to your optical circuitry and allow you to regain your sight."

Axil seemed to hesitate for a moment before nodding with a determined look on his features.

"What do I have to lose." He said quietly before lifting a ped to carefully step into the liquid. He shuddered slightly as he sat down, the fluid lapping at his frame.

"Primus this is cold." He grumbled before flinching when Perceptor reaching out and touched his arm.

"You're dangerously low on energon." He said with a frown. Axil shifted away from him, servo sliding to the fresh gash on his bracer.

"There was an accident." Ratchet said, cutting in slightly and giving Perceptor a look to not push it. The red mech gave him an odd look before backing off.

"We need accesses to your dataport." He said with tired sigh. Ratchet stiffened, that was news to him.

**"You didn't mention that the last time I was here." ** He said with a dark look that bordered on a dangerous possessiveness.

"It makes it easier to monitor your vitals. Your friend can do that." Perceptor continued.

"I… I guess." Axil said nervously, reaching around to rub the back of his neck cables. When he dropped his servo the armor over his dataport had slid aside.

"There's a couple wires and tubes we need to plug in to monitor your systems and the state of the nanites." Wheeljack explained, still crouching next to Axil. "Sometimes we'll need to tweak the coding in the nanites to make things work better or to direct them to work elsewhere."

Axil nodded in understanding but Ratchet knew he was scared.

"I'll be here." He said quietly and Axil's blind faceplates shot up to him before a weak smile crossed his features and he nodded.

"Ge- Get it over with." He said softly and Wheeljack nodded before both scientists got to work.

Ratchet watched curiously as they hooked up the various monitoring wires to the mech, most to his neck cables and a thick, silvery one to the back of his neck. As soon as the hardline connection was made a computer off to the side lit up. Perceptor darted over to it and Wheeljack helped him lay down.

"Keep your vents closed, when you're in stasis we'll override them. It's a… heh…really weird feeling." Wheeljack said with a chuckle. "Trust me, it's the weirdest feeling that I can think of to date."

"I'm going to put you into stasis-" Perceptor said and Ratchet saw the way the mech stiffened. Without thinking he walked to the mech's side, reaching into the solution to grip his servo.

"I'm here mech." He said with a smirk. "I'll see you in a few joors."

To his dumb shock Axil laughed before tilting his helm toward Ratchet with a grin he hadn't seen the dark grey miner wear since he had been blinded.

"I'll see you in a few joors as well." He said before resting his helm back down with a smile.

"Initiating stasis." Perceptor said and a few moments later Axil went limp, that smile still on his faceplates.

"He's out." Ratchet said as he backed off to let the pair continue working. Curved glass slid around to cover the opening even as a pair of clamps locked around Axil's upper arms. A valve at the top pumped the air out of the cylinder and flooded it with the solution. Ratchet moved to hover over Perceptor, watching as strings upon strings of coding blazed past the computer screen at lighting speed. As Perceptor easily manipulated the coding, Ratchet glanced over at Axil in time to see a large amount of air escape from under his armor as Perceptor manually opened his vents.

"Your optics were blue last time." Perceptor said out of nowhere and Ratchet turned to him with a blank look before flinching.

"Overrides." He said with a shrug as the cylinder moved, sliding on a track till it was upright against the wall out of the way. "Made my life a lot easier."

"I'll bet." Wheeljack said as he turned away toward a couple of counters against the wall. He came back a moment later with a couple of energon cubes. He handed one to Ratchet before waving him toward a table. "Might as well sit down, it will be a couple joors before you see anything."

"I guess." Ratchet said with a tired sigh, sinking into one of the chairs while Wheeljack sat across from him. With a groan he ran a servo down his faceplates, then down and around his neck cables before dropping his servo to the table. "Primus it's been a long night…"

"Feel free to crash for a bit." Wheeljack offered. "I've pulled a couple 30 joor orns before. They're hard on the systems alright."

"No, I'm fine." Ratchet assured him, shifting to be able to keep the stasis locked Axil in his sights. Already tiny bubbles had started to gather on his faceplates and his bracer. "Just… stressed."

**"Ra… Ratch…?"**

The medic shot out of his chair, servo shooting to his helm for his comm. even as Wheeljack and Perceptor jumped at his sudden motion.

**"Sandy?!" **He yelled in alarm. **"Sandy what the frag happened, are you alright? What about the others. Did Eight get back?" **

**"I… I might n-n-need… t-to disappear f-f-fo… for a bit…" **He rasped.

Ratchet stiffened, fear working its way down his spinal support like ice.

**"Sandy, what's wrong, I can tell your hurt." **He demanded, already heading for the door. **"I'm coming, where are you." **

**"Don'… don't bother…. Listen…"** Sandstorm said, his voice heavy with pain and Ratchet felt his armor start to flare. **"I... I already told Eight t-t-to…. get lost. Copper… he's… he's got a b-b-bounty on me-"**

**"What?!"** Ratchet yelled over the comm and out loud. **"Sandy you _aft_ I told you not to start anything! Where are you!"**

**"Rip…s-s-saw… threatened t-t-to… hurt-t-t Axil again… I c-c-couldn't let him… Rock and Clout-t-t…took off."**

**"Sandstorm where are you." **

**"He's down… t-t-torn enough of his throat-t-t out… to keep him out-t-t of… commiss-s-sion. Bought ya s-s-some more time…"** Sandy continued. **"He won't… won't bother you f-f-for… for a long… time."**

**"Sandstorm of Tarn if you don't send me your fraggin coordinates I'll-" **Ratchet cut himself off with a helpless snarl. He knew the mech was hurt bad and was more the likely leaking out somewhere for all he knew.

**"F-f-full… title…? Wow. Ya must-t-t… be worried." **Sandy said with a weak chuckle. **"He… mis-s-ssed everything important… just a little… t-t-tired."**

**"Sandy you glitch! Where are you!" **

**"Hey, p-p-promise… me you'll watch out f-f-for…. Eight would ya? Ah-ah-and Axil…?" **Sandstorm asked.

**"I don't need to, you're gonna be here." **Ratchet snarled, darting outside onto the road. **"Now where the frag are you! I can be there in klicks!"**

**"I… gotta… gotta disappear for a… bit… t-t-tell Dusty I'm s-s-sorry… alright?" ** Sandy asked weakly.

**"Sandstorm quit avoiding the question fraggit! Now tell me where you are!"**

**"Hurts t-t-to…to think… I need t-t-to go…"**

**"Hurts to think? What are you talking about?" **Ratchet demanded before it dawned on him. He'd been fragmented. It explained his slurred speech.

**"Sandstorm if you don't let me help you, there could be permanent damage! Fragmentations aren't something you can just walk off! Sandy I'm begging you! You need help!"**

**"S-s-see… see ya later Ratch… I… I gotta go-"**

The comm cut out and Ratchet snarled, spinning to slam a fist into the wall of the warehouse. The explosion of pain in his joints caused him to spit another curse, cradling his servo as he continued to snarl in a helpless rage. No wonder Sterling had issues. Knowing Sandy was hurt, probably spark threating so, and unable to do anything was making his coding go haywire. He couldn't image what it would be like to see friends and family murdered before his optics and unable to do anything. Somehow, he had a feeling that it felt a lot like the burning heat of anger in the pit of his tanks. Sandy was _his_ gang, he was _his_ patient, and the _only_ one that could beat on his mechs was him and Chrome.

"Fraggit Sandstorm." He hissed as he leaned back against the wall and let his helm bang against it painfully. "Fraggit you aft."

* * *

**YEAH-HOO! 292 reviews! Holy cow i love you guys, that's almost double what the old one was! I love you guys so much! Remember, at 300 reviews someone will get a oneshot! Yes I'm willing to take on OC's but this time i'm gonna limit to one because *whew!* writing three was HARD! So! No slash, yes it can be a spoiler depending on what it is, and it can happen anytime in the TMJ universe. Uh, don't remember what other rules I had so I'll say that for now. Oh yeah, sorry but Guests are not included as the 300th because i can't get in contact with you. In that case, it will be the 301st.  
**

**Also, ideas! So, just to try and help me stay on this wave because quite frankly, I love typing and hate staring at an empty screen, feel free to drop me ideas that i can use. Preferably the pre-war kind that i can use now but even something as simple as a certain POV about something. Who knows, it might turn into an entire chapter. And as always, credit goes to where it belongs. **

**Heck, it might turn into it's own oneshot it i like it enough. **

**I love you guys and see you next week!**

**Read and Review!**


	34. Return

**Hey all, sorry about not posting last week. I got the chapter done and i was NOT happy with it. So, rewrote it and i like this one.**

**HeartsGuardianSol got the 300th review and all i can say is holy crap guys we're at 307 reviews! I love it! Wow it just makes my day seeing that email pop up on my phone. **

**So s/he's asked for either a flash back of Ratchet as a younging or something about Praxus. I have an idea for Praxus and we're gonna see where it goes! I also have a bunch of other oneshot ideas for TMJ so if you're not following it, go find TMJ: Oneshots. Stuff both serious and amusing as well as the prize oneshots will be there. Stuff that just doesn't fit into the main story line will end up there. So go check it out!**

**Guest: You'll have to wait and see!**

**Dkyrus: I'm so glad you like it and i hope to keep it up.**

**Rogue8496: I'm glad you liked it, it was defiantly intense. As for the week... meh.. feel a bit better now that i got some target practice in :D**

**Guest: YYYYYYYEEEEESSSSSS! **

**Child of Jon Snow: You'll see :D**

**KayleeChiara: Yeah sorry bout that. It went completely out of control on me and i had to cut it off somewhere. The joke is, what was originally the start of ch 35 has gone crazy on me and what was supposed to be a quick clean up ended up being close to 6000 words... yeah that's gonna be a separate oneshot that I'll post after i tie up loose ends. Even this chapter is longer then i expected. And yeah, Sandy's an aft. **

**DawnfireJazz: Oh trust me, the fun is just starting. **

**HeartsGuardianSol: Heh, watched Untold Stories of the ER and a weight lifter came in with a sore neck only to find out that he had a collapsed lung. Sandy ain't that bad off but there will be scars. **

**Guest: Eh, he's a tough young idiot. **

**Teckmouse6533: Yeah short temper is right. Good thing he had to be nice every once in a while. The trick is know when someone needs a hug or needs a kick in the can.**

**Neon: Meh, haven't decided on that yet. I _almost_ killed him but i changed my mind. I have plans for him. As for Age of Extinction, i _so_ don't count it as the continuation. The only ones i will ever mention and or use is the first three. **

**AutobotGuy710: Muahahaha! I love intense... don't worry, they get a bit of a break after this. I think. **

**InterstellerGazer: Yeah, i had mixed feelings about him when i first made this whole crazy roller coaster but he's growing on me. **

**Anodythe: I try to keep promises. An awww you made me fell all fluffy. But very true. I hate making characters just to have someone i can kill but at the same time, it's gonna happen. But aw man, that makes me feel good :)**

**Skyice98: You'll have to wait and see. **

* * *

Ratchet jerked online with a grunt as someone pounded on the door to the lab. It took him a moment to remember where he was and as soon as he did he sat up straight, glancing toward the stasis locked Axil. The mech was still immersed in the nanite solution, tiny bubbles covering most of his helm, his arm and some of the more obvious scars on his frame.

"I wonder who that is…" Perceptor mumbled as he stood up. He'd been recharging on a couch shoved against the wall that looked like it had seen better orns.

"Primus, is it that late?" Wheeljack slurred, lifting his helm off the table from where he had been in recharge. "What time is it…?"

"Almost middle of the orn." Ratchet said as he flared his armor in a stretch before relaxing with his helm propped up on his servo to watch Wheeljack. "Think he's almost done?"

"I'll check." Wheeljack replied, standing up and running a servo down his mask as he staggered toward the computer.

Multiple gunshots rang out and Ratchet swore, spinning toward the door in time to see Perceptor staggered backwards, clutching his chassis as energon poured past his digits. He tripped over his peds, crashing to the ground as a black mech with burning blue optics barged in, rifle primed. Another five were close on his peds and Wheeljack and Ratchet froze, Wheeljack's optics wide in alarm.

Ratchet immediately shifted to place himself between Axil and the Guard with a low snarl.

To his horror, Ripsaw walked in, his chassis still stained blue with the energon dripping down the ragged marks in his throat and a vicious grin on his faceplates.

"Bout time I found you." He snarled before throwing a thin frame forward.

Eight crashed to the ground at his peds, rolling once to land on his side and expose the wound punched through his abdominal slips and out his back.

"Eight!" Ratchet cried out as he dropped beside the unconscious mech, realising in the same horrible moment that the young mech didn't have a spark pulse. Horror made his tanks burn as he cradled the mech's helm in his lap.

"What did you do to him!" Ratchet spat, armor flared in rage.

"Same I did to your friend." Ripsaw snarled. "And what I intend to do to _him!"_

A gun came up and Ratchet could only watch helpless as the blast tore past him, slamming into the CR chamber. Glass exploded everywhere as the pale green solution poured out across the floor. The clamps supporting Axil broke free and he fell with a crash, energon from the gaping hole in his chassis mixing with the solution. Wheeljack immediately ran to his side only for another shot to ring out. He pitched backwards as energon explode from his back in a spray-

-with a cry Ratchet jolted upright.

Wheeljack yelped, tipping backwards before falling off his chair with a crash.

"What the frag mech!" He yelled, optics huge as Perceptor sprinted into the room, skidding to a stop hard enough he tripped and almost crashed into a table before regaining his balance.

"What's wrong! What happened!" He demanded before setting his sights on the downed mech. "Wheeljack!"

"It wasn't me!"

"My fault, I'm sorry." Ratchet said with a groan, rubbing the recharge from his optics. "I get bad memory fluxes. Over active processor among other things."

"You always online with a yell?" Perceptor asked skeptically as frowned.

"Sometimes yes." Ratchet said with a sigh. "My roommate's used to my odd habits, and yes that does including the memory fluxes. Please tell me Axil's almost done. The suspense is driving me insane."

"I'll check." Wheeljack said, hesitantly getting to his peds. Ratchet didn't say anything other than to watch the mech walk toward Axil. His optics slid toward the dark grey miner and the tiny bubbles obscuring his faceplates.

"It worked! Hey Percy get over here!" Wheeljack cried out making Ratchet stare at him in alarm. "Look at that! Record time!"

"What's that mean?" Ratchet demanded nervously. Perceptor flapped a servo at him in a dismissal as he walked over to a bouncing Wheeljack.

"Don't think too hard about it. For Wheeljack, anything that doesn't spontaneously combust is a success." He said dryly.

Ratchet felt his spark stop.

"You're kidding." He deadpanned. "Please tell me you're kidding."

Perceptor gave him a flat look even as Wheeljack continued to hop in place.

"For fraggin sakes…" Ratchet mumbled, sinking back into his chair.

"If it makes you feel any better, I designed the majority of the coding." Perceptor said with a smirk as the CR chamber lowered to the ground. Air filled the chamber as it drained and slowly the bubbles covering Axil's faceplates disappeared.

"Care to give your medical option?" Perceptor asked and Ratchet straightened. All of a sudden he was too scared to look at the mech. If this didn't work… no. He couldn't even think about it. Sandstorm was hurt and probably leaking out because of this. It _had_ to work for his sake.

xxXXxx

The first thing he noticed was that the pain was gone.

The second was that coding was flashing on his HUD about massive repairs to his helm and faceplates.

The third was that someone was in his processor.

"_Calm down, just making sure everything is working." _Ratchet said and Axil relaxed as medical coding smoothed away his anxiety.

"_Easy mech, don't want you dozing off again." _Ratchet chuckled. "_Readouts are all positive but I won't know until you power up your optics."_

Sharp fear shot across the connection before he could mask it and just as fast came that soothing sensation.

"_It will work Axil." _Ratchet repeated. _"Everything is working, you just have to power them up."_

Axil hesitated just a moment before activating the coding that had been useless for the last groon.

Searing agony shot through his processor and with a cry he twisted away from the pain, throwing an arm over the familiar burn in his helm.

"_What the frack! Why isn't-! Aw slag."_

The soothing presence wormed farther into his processor, easing away the pain and he nearly jumped out of his armor when Ratchet banged a fist on the table.

"What!" A thin reedy voice demanded.

"_You mentioned one time that you'd blown the light diffuser in your optics."_

"_Huh?"_

"_You have issues adjusting to the light."_

"_Yeah?"_

"_My guess is you were forcing your optics to adjust to the light but because you were blind for a groon, you're frame's lost that ability. Interesting. You'd think you would have created new coding for that…_"

"Wheeljack kill the lights would you?"

"_Try again. The lights are off."_

He was too scared. It had hurt so much, he couldn't do it again.

"You can read right?" The mech from before asked and Axil froze as he heard him approach. "You got that look about you. You're smart, I can tell. Listen, I got some old text pads, they're a little out dated but I can give them to you if you want."

"Ha! _That_ got his attention." Ratchet said with a laugh, humor and relief floating over the connection. _"Come on mech, you should see the stack he's got here."_

It was too good to be true and hesitantly Axil rebooted his optics, half expecting that blinding white pain from before. He felt Ratchet's coding flare, acting as a buffer as his optics focused.

The first thing he saw was dark grey armor and it took him a nano-klick to realise that it was his arm. Carefully, he moved it, still waiting for the pain.

Grief and a sense of protectiveness flooded the connection as well as Ratchet's low growl.

"_You're safe here."_ Ratchet said before he refocused on the data streaming though Axil's processor. _"Everything's good. No pain?"_

"_No."_

"_Good. Get up." _

He couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him as he realised just how much like Chrome the mech sounded like.

"_Primus, don't scare me like that."_ Ratchet grumbled.

Carefully Axil sat up on the berth and briefly wondered how they'd gotten him out of that glass canister.

"_Wasn't easy. Perceptor didn't realise just how heavy we are."_

When he glanced up again, a stocky grey mech with unmistakable florescent yellow accents was facing him with glowing red optics.

"Primus you look different." He whispered.

"So do you." Ratchet said with a grin.

Hesitantly Axil reached up, feeling the soft protoform of his faceplates that had been covered in hard scar metal. Primus it had actually worked.

"_Told you it would."_ Ratchet replied over the connection. "Don't block me out yet. Wheeljack can you start turning the lights up?"

Axil's helm snapped to the side to see a slim mech standing against the wall.

"Tell him when it starts hurting." Ratchet said, resting a servo on his knee guard. "And don't play tough mech, I'm serious. Any pain and you tell us to stop. I want to try and calibrate your optics."

"Yes boss." Axil said with a slight smirk.

He knew the instant the lights started powering up and within half a klick he felt that familiar burn.

"Stop." He hissed and the lights dimmed to a better level.

"Primus, he can see in this?" A reedy voice asked and Axil's gaze snapped over Ratchet's shoulder guard to see a thin red mech with a scope of some kind on his shoulder guard, look around blindly.

"Yeah, that's kinda what I was afraid of." Ratchet said with a scowl. "Hey, you still got your visor?"

"Yeah." Axil said before subspacing the tinted glass, careful of the hardline connection.

"Try that on. I have a hunch." Ratchet said and giving the mech a nervous look, Axil slipped it over his optics. Instantly everything was pitch black and a moment of panic flooded him before he could stop it from reaching Ratchet. The medic didn't respond other than to squeeze his knee guard.

"Wheeljack, the lights?"

"Yeah yeah, say when." The mech against the wall said.

Slowly shapes started emerging from the dark. Eventually it got to a comfortable level and he could see as good as before.

And then it hit him.

A soft laugh escaped him as he flexed his servos before him and watched the way the joints flexed and moved. His digits tips were badly scared from him grabbing red hot metal not even a klick after his sire had told him not to. His friends in Axiom had teased him about the scaring and how his curiosity was going to get him in trouble one orn. Ghost pain still bothered him every now and then but after he'd been blinded, he'd feared that the ghost pain would be all he had left to remember his sire by.

"I can _see_ again." He whispered before chuckling louder. "I can see!"

"You got two options." Ratchet said and he glanced up at the mech. "Either I spend the next who knows how long hooked up to your helm to try and figure out how to fix that coding, or you stick with the visor."

Despite there being no pain, the thought of someone in his helm for any length of time unnerved Axil and Ratchet nodded before backing out. Axil reached around the back of his helm, easily finding the thick datacord and unplugging it with a slight wince.

"I don't care Ratch, I just…" He trailed off with a grin as he handed the cord back to Ratchet. "I can _see!_ Primus I can't wait to see Sandy and the others!"

"About that…" Ratchet trailed off miserably, his plating pulling tight against his frame.

"What. Ratchet what…?" Axil demanded, his armor flaring in fear. "Where's Sandy. And Eight, Rock, and Clout. They're alright aren't they? I don't remember much."

"Sandy's hurt." Ratchet said quietly. "He's hurt bad and he refused to tell me where he was. He's not answering comms. But we need to get back to the mine. Copper's gonna be heading there. It sounded like Sandy attacked Ripsaw."

Axil glanced away with a snarl, gritting his denta.

"That sounds like him." He said miserably.

"So that visor's working for you?" The mech by the wall asked as he walked closer.

"White base paint with green and red pin stripes." Axil said with a faint smirk in his direction. "He's grey with that awful yellow-"

"Hey! I like that color!" Ratchet objected hotly.

"And he's red with a scope on his right shoulder guard." Axil continued, glancing at the mech behind Ratchet.

"It worked!"

"I told you it would! I designed over half of it!"

"Would you quit sounding so surprised?! Primus it's freaking me out." Ratchet snapped at the other two mechs before turning back to Axil.

"There's another thing I forgot to warn you about." He said with a slight smirk. "My guess it's a side effect of not being able to diffuse the light. For the record, I had no idea it would happen and it's not my fault."

"What." Axil demanded in an instant, nearly panicking.

"Could you kill the lights again?" Ratchet asked and a moment later everything got dark. Axil slid his visor off, blinking at the weird light before realised that Ratchet was holding a mirror out to him.

He stared at his faceplates in alarm, servo lifting to finger smooth protoform and not the horrible scars he had felt before. But his attention was on something else.

"You have _got_ to be fraggin' kidding me."

xxXXxx

Dusty stiffened as soon as he sensed the unmistakable smell of charged plasma.

"Frag!" He spat, releasing the brake on his cable and launching himself away from the wall, freefalling a bit before shoving himself off the wall again. He hit the ground and fumbled the clip off, bolting for the entrance to the mine. Carbon reached it the same time he did and he threw a servo out to stop the black mech, knowing exactly what was just inside the tunnel.

"Copper you fraggin' glitch!" Dusty spat as the Elite mech and a dozen Elite Guard stormed into the mine. "Disengage those guns unless you want the whole place to blow up!"

"I am not in the mood to deal with you and your slag." Copper snarled, easily holding his glare as he stalked up. "Not after the stunt your mech pulled last orn."

Dusty stiffened and a low snarl came from Carbon. Instantly Copper's blue gaze snapped to the mech but to Dusty's surprise, instead of backing off like he normally did he deliberately held Carbon's murderous glare.

"Try anything and you can join the others in the Pit!" He spat before turning blazing optics on Dusty. The red mech held his ground but he had never seen the mech so furious.

And suddenly he had a good idea what had happened.

"What are you talking about." Dusty demanded. "What's going on."

"Where did that fraggin medic take Axil!" He demanded.

"Chrome didn't take him anywhere-"

"I'm not talking about Chrome!" Copper cut in. "Where's Ratchet!"

"I don't know." Dusty replied carefully despite the dread working its way down his spinal support. "He never showed up this orn."

Copper took a step forward, jabbing a digit against Dusty's chassis hard enough to make the mech take a step back as he got well within his space.

"Carbon back off!" Dusty yelled when the mech's engine kicked into overdrive with a roar. "Back off."

"That's right, keep your _pet_ on a short leash." Copper spat. "I'm here for one thing and I expect it. I have no problems having your whole gang dragged off to Kaon. Now where's Sterling!"

"Right behind ya."

Copper jumped a good three feet in the air, spinning in alarm to see Sterling standing behind him. The Guard were just as surprised and Dusty saw the moment one of the mech's grip on his rifle tightened.

Carbon tackled him, shoving the gun down as it went off, the glowing shot slamming into the ground with a boom. Instantly every available rifle was pointed at the black miner as he wrenched the rifle from the mech's grasp, easily snapping it in half and throwing it behind him.

You glitch!" He roared, armor flared in rage and ignoring the guns pointed at him. "You trying to get us all terminated! This entire mountain would collapse if this chamber went off!"

Copper completely ignored Carbon as he continued staring at Sterling like he had seen a sparkeater.

"You- you- you-" He stammered, optics huge. "You're offline. Avalon terminated you."

"Ee lies tah 'lot o' mechs." Sterling snarled dangerously. "As ya can see, Ah'm functionin' an' Ah'm mad. Ah don't 'ppreciate trigger 'appy glitches tryin' tah blow mah gang up."

It was like someone had flipped a switch inside of Copper and suddenly he realised where he was and just how dangerous the mechs around him had gotten.

"Count yourself lucky," Copper snarled, spinning back to Dusty, "that Ripsaw isn't here or he'd have taken his helm-" he jabbed a digit at Sterling, "-whether he's functional or not."

Copper jerked his helm and stormed out of the tunnel, the Elite Guard turning to follow him.

"You alright?" Dusty asked as soon as they were gone.

"Sore." Sterling said with a one sided shrug, his aggression leaving as fast as his strength. Carbon walked over and gently wrapped his arm around the mech's waist. Sterling slung his arm around his neck cables, letting the other mech support him.

"Jus' tired…" He said, panting slightly as he focused on Dusty with pain filled white optics. "Grid's still gltichin' somethin' awful."

"Carbon, get him somewhere he can rest." Dusty murmured. "Copper fell for it, now he can actually spend some time recovering."

"Sure thing Boss." Carbon rumbled as they walked off. Dusty watched them go with a sigh.

The Royal had a point.

Where the pit was Ripsaw? This kind of thing was right up his twisted alley.

Copper had mentioned his 'pit-spawn mech'. Usually he was talking about Sterling or Chrome. Carbon sometimes fell into that category as well but Sterling and Carbon were here and Chrome was still paying off his debt to Arachnid.

But it was obviously Copper was talking about someone from his gang. Few mechs could take on the Captain of the Elite Guard on their own, let alone when there are other Guard around.

A sick feeling built in his tanks and he rapidly filled in the blanks.

Ratchet and Axil were missing, Ripsaw was gone, badly damaged from the sound of it, and a 'pit-spawn' was loose.

"Sandstorm you aft!" Dusty hissed before opening a comm. To his horror all he got was static and Copper's other statement finally made sense.

With a snarl he raced up the mineshaft, easily catching up to the Guard and Copper.

"Copper you aft! What did you do to Sandy!" He roared, transforming and skidding to a stop, his armor bristling.

"_I_ didn't do anything. _He_ attacked Ripsaw." Copper shot back with a snarl.

"You coward!" Dusty yelled. "You went after Axil when they were recharging! You fraggin coward! What did you do to him!"

"Nothing yet." Copper spat, then stiffened.

Sandy was still online. Probably seriously hurt, but online.

Abruptly Dusty threw his helm back with a dark laugh.

"He ripped the Ripper himself apart didn't he." He demanded with a dangerous grin. "That's why Ripsaw isn't here, Sandy tore him apart."

"And we put him down for that." Copper bluffed

Dusty laughed again.

"I know that mech better then you ever will." He said, sobering in an instant. "You think Sterling's dangerous? He may have that coding but he's never murdered someone in cold energon. At least Sterling has morals. As shady as they are, he's not a murder. Sandstorm ripped his boss's throat out. He's more than capable of murder and I know for a _fact_ he's still out there because you'd be waving his helm on a _pike_ if you actually had him_!"_

A steady rumble coming up the road had Dusty straightening in horror even as everyone spun around to face the road. He still wasn't positive about Ratchet's engine but he'd recognise Axil's anywhere.

"**Ratchet, Axil, get out of here! The Guard-!" **He yelled over the comm.

A Guard spun to him with a snarl and the comm instantly cut off with a painful burst of feedback. At the same moment a rifle was slammed into the back of his helm and he went down, his vison flashing white. A solid kick to the tanks flipped him half onto his back and he gasped as he curled up instinctively. A heavy ped was planted on his hipbolt, grinding his pelvic plating into the ground as a white hot gun barrel was shoved against his chassis.

He snarled in pain as the hot barrel burned paint but he couldn't move in the awkward position he was stuck in. He managed to twist around to see Axil come up onto the plateau and screech to a stop, Ratchet nearly rear-ending him.

"Get out of here!" Dusty yelled only to receive a sharp kick in the back. He instinctively arched away from the blow and the thin gun barrel slid between his plating to stab against a vent slit.

The blinding pain made the sharp cry of pain die in his throat as his vents seized. His core temperature spiked and everything started spiraling into black heat.

xxXXxx

An alarm chimed in Ratchet's HUD and he went rigid, spinning to shoot a scan at Dusty. The warnings flashing across his HUD weren't wrong though as the mech stopped cycling air in a selion attack.

"Dusty!" He yelled as the Guard standing over the unconscious miner turned to them with a sneer.

"Get them!" Copper yelled and Ratchet grabbed Axil, turning to run. A weight slammed into his back and with a cruse he tripped. He managed to land on his side instead of his faceplates and spat a curse.

"Get off of me!" Axil yelled before metal crashed against metal.

Knowing there were two mechs damaged, one possibly melting his internals spurred Ratchet on and with a snarl, he sank his digits into the soft spot in the Guard's wrist as hard as he could. His medical coding spiked though his processor but the alarm about Dusty was stronger.

The Guard howled in pain, releasing him and Ratchet wasted no time in bringing his fist around to crack the mech one in the jaw.

To his dumb shock the mech dropped in an unconscious heap and Ratchet shot to his peds.

"Copper let him go!" Ratchet yelled as two more guards grabbed his arms, wrenching them behind his back and forcing him to his kneebolts. A solid punch from another mech across the jaw had his helm reeling.

"We got what we wanted." Copper snarled as he refocused on the slim mech. Copper locked optics with him before giving a triumphant sneer. "Grab him and let's get out of this place."

"No!" Axil yelled even as Ratchet jerked against the mechs holding him down.

"He's not blind!" Ratchet snarled as he struggled. "I fixed his optics he can work he's not blind!"

"Get him out of here!" Copper spat as he stormed off. "I'm sick of this!"

Ratchet could only watch in horror as they started to drag Axil off. He knew the others were too far underground to hear the commotion but that didn't stop a howl of helpless rage.

Axil suddenly pitched backwards with a snarl and Ratchet saw the spider web crack across his visor.

"Don't you _dare!"_ Ratchet yelled as Axil dropped to his kneebolts. Glass shattered and Ratchet spat a curse.

"Get your fraggin servos off'a me!" Axil snarled, bringing his helm up to glare at Copper. The mech's jaw dropped open in shock and Axil ripped free of the stunned Guards.

"I can work just as hard as anyone else." He panted, armor flared and trembling with rage. "Now get the frag off of our mountain."

Copper stared at him a moment longer before his jaw snapped shut. Without another word he transformed and raced off. A moment later the Guards released Ratchet and he shot to his peds, bolting to Dusty's side and completely ignoring the Elite Guard as they transformed and took off after Copper.

"Axil get inside before you blow your optics out!" Ratchet ordered as he dropped down beside Dusty. The mech was already burning up and he didn't even hesitate as he subspaced a pre-filled needle of Prex. He stabbed it into to the energon line in the mech's neck and after a tense moment he gasped and his core temperature started dropping. A vicious burn ran down his side and dangerously close to a vent slit bit his thick armor had protected him from the kick.

"Axil-!" Dusty rasped as he struggled to sit up.

"Oh no you don't!" Ratchet snarled, shoving the mech back down. "He's fine but you're not. That burn extends into your vent you're lucky you air filter's intact. I should sedate you!"

"I'm fine." Dusty snarled, shoving Ratchet's servo aside and sitting up.

Ratchet snarled back as the mech gasped, falling back over as he doubled up in pain.

"Fraggin _aft!"_ He spat knowing the mech wouldn't sit still until he knew Axil was alright. Ignoring the mech's sharp objection he looped his arms under the mech's arms and legs, picking him up like a sack of scrap metal and stalking toward the mine.

"I can walk!" Dusty yelled but he didn't struggle in case Ratchet deicide to drop him.

"You can hardly vent. The last 24 joors have been a living Pit for me, now shut up." Ratchet growled as he carried the smaller mech inside.

"And mine's been a walk in the park." Dusty shot back dryly before noticing Axil sitting against the wall, his helm in his arms.

"You alright?" Ratchet asked as he gently laid Dusty down beside the dark grey mech and shot a scan at him.

"Yeah, I'll be fine when the colors go away." Axil mumbled from between his arms. "Primus, if feels like I have fireworks in my helm. Colors, booms and everything."

"I told you." Ratchet growled before turning his attention back to Dusty. "Armor. Off. Now."

Axil lifted his helm a bit and Ratchet felt Dusty stiffen under his servos. He let a dry laugh escape him at the look on Dusty's face.

"The pit?" He squeaked and Axil groaned, rolling hot pink optics before burying his helm back in his arms.

"The frag did they have to be _pink!"_ His muffled yell echoed softly thought the mine.

"Wha- but how- you-" Dusty stammered in shock. "…you were blind… your scars…"

"The color's a side effect, the repairs are experimental." Ratchet said before databursting him a massive file. "Has something to do with the fact that they're taking in far too much light."

"But… but… _Pink_?!" Dusty asked again before gasping sharply as Ratchet got his armor off to expose the ugly burn.

"Frag, that's gonna be a mess to repair." Ratchet grumbled quietly before he looked at Dusty. "At least he _can_ see. Chrome's gonna blow a fuse about this but quite frankly I don't care."

"He can shove it up his tailpipe." Axil grumbled before subspacing another visor and slipping it over his optics. "I got a stack of datapads that make you-" he poked Dusty, "-look even shorter then you really are."

"Oh get off it!" Dusty snapped before wincing again.

"Stop moving." Ratchet ordered before getting to work.

xxXXxx

"You glitch!" Avalon roared, armor standing on end as he tried to loom over Copper. "I gave you one simple task and not only do you fail to bring _either _of them back, Ripsaw's in the ICU missing half his throat, four have been terminated and the rest have serious injuries!"

"You didn't tell me they were both functional!" Copper shot back, just as furious. "You made me look like an idiot!"

"You had half a dozen of the best Elite Guard I could get-"

"And you nearly got me terminated!" Copper yelled. "That killswitch of your's failed, Sterling is as strong as before and if Ripsaw had just off'ed the dark grey one like I _suggested_, they there would have been nothing _to_ fix! Those mechs are on a fraggin _high_ because of this!"

Avalon turned away with a snarl, pacing the small room they were in. Thankfully the place was soundproof, he didn't need this argument being overhead.

"That was hydrochloric acid," He growled, turning to glare are Copper before turning to fully face him. "It's irreversible!"

"That mech could see as well as either of us!" Copper spat. "I'm done having my life threatened every time I go up there! You want them so bad, go get them your fraggin self!"

"You will _not_ speak to me that way." Avalon snarled. "I am your superior, you will do what I say."

"And I am yours."

Avalon spun in alarm to see Sentinel Prime standing in the doorway, optics blazing.

"Sir!" Copper sputtered in surprise as he stiffened.

"Copper, what is going on." The Prime asked in a dangerous voice.

"I was under orders to retrieve the frame of Sterling and arrest Axil if he resisted." Copper replied smartly and Avalon bristled.

"And who gave you those orders?"

"Avalon Sir." Copper said with a slight smirk. Avalon stiffened as that piercing gaze slid to him.

"Did I or did I not order you to leave Dusty's gang alone?" The Prime asked.

"I was finishing my previous orders." Avalon replied. "The ones you gave me."

"Do not lay the blame on me!" Sentinel Prime spat. "I ordered you to leave those mechs alone. Not only did you deliberately disobey me, my Captain is in the ICU, three others are in critical care, and four have been offlined."

Avalon stiffened at the accusations but Sentinel turned his glare to Copper.

"Where are the miners." He demanded.

"Both Sterling and Axil are back at the mine working and fully functional." Copper replied.

"Then what's the problem." Sentinel asked.

"I was told Sterling had been offlined and that Axil was blind." Copper growled. "Instead, I end up cornered with three mechs that were willing to throw their lives away to protect Axil and ended up nearly losing own my life."

"Who attacked Ripsaw?" Sentinel asked with a scowl.

"Sandstorm." Copper said. "We managed to drag him off after the other two were shot and interrogate him. Ripsaw fragmented him but he somehow managed to attack him and murdered another as he escaped."

"Where is he."

"He escaped." Avalon jumped in. "Despite being fragmented, beaten to a scrap and shot, Copper let him escape."

"I did no such thing!"

To both their surprise, Sentinel barked a laugh.

"I could have told you they wouldn't go down without a fight." He said shaking his helm as he continued to chuckle. "Copper, you're dismissed. You were just following orders."

"Yes sir." He replied, shooting Avalon a smug look as he walked out. The door slid shut behind him and Sentinel sobered in an instant.

"I know you want that promotion Avalon." Sentinel growled as he loomed over the yellow-gold mech. "Disobeying my orders is not a good way to get it."

"With all due respect, we need to hit them hard." Avalon said, holding the Prime's burning glare with his own. "Find that mech, and rip him apart publically. Chrome may had been able to save the other two but he won't be able to stop this. They need to learn we are not to be messed with! Alpha Trion is a fool if he thinks backing off will result in anything but more trouble."

"You honestly think you'll be able to find him." Sentinel asked with a challenging smirk. "And just how long do you think this will take? I can all but guarantee you he isn't in Iacon. He'll be making a break for the border."

"I'll find him." Avalon snarled. "Give me two orns and access to the entire Elite Guard and the Air Command and I will find him."

"You willing to stake that promotion on it?" He asked.

Avalon hesitated just a moment to long and Sentinel sneered.

"That's what I figured." He said as he turned in a blatant dismissal.

"Sir, give me a chance! I'll find him!"

"You are _obsessed_ with Dusty and his team to the point it is effecting your ability to make decisions." Sentinel snarled, spinning to jab a sharp digit against Avalon's chassis. "You got mechs terminated because of your stupidity. Ripsaw is lucky to still be functioning!"

"I am fully capable of making decisions-" Avalon started to object.

"You're unable to distinguish personal matters from your duties to me." Sentinel continued. "I will repeat myself once, and only once. Anything that has to do with Dusty's gang is off limits to you. That includes _everyone_ that works under him. Is that clear."

"But sir-"

"Do you compute!"

Avalon stiffened but his duty to his Prime won out.

"Yessir." He hissed though gritted denta.

"Good. Now get out of my sight. I don't want to see you for the rest of the orn." Sentinel snarled before turning and stalking off, leaving Avalon to simmer in anger and embarrassment.

* * *

** Like i said, i liked this one. Avalon gets a telling off, Copper has the scrap scared out of him, and Ratchet punches an Elite Guard. Oh yeah, and my favorite part, Axil now has pink optics. So I've always had the idea that when they get agitated, their optics get lighter. In Vaeru's _Juxtapostion_, they explained it as a form of battle coding where their optics are taking in more data and there for they get lighter. In this case, it's just the fact he's can't filter out light (kinda like having the exposure on a camera to high) I refuse to go into the heavy details because it makes my head hurt. And anyways, i found the whole idea of a miner with pink optics amusing. It is NOT a whole other color scheme (read my profile) it's literally just a coding glitch.  
**

**Hope to see you all next week and again, go find my TMJ Oneshots! There's only three right now but it will get bigger. **

**Read and Review i love you guys!**


	35. Confrontation

**Hey Guys, I'm back finally! YEESH what a stressful few weeks. But I'm here again and lifes somewhat's calmed down. Doudt for long but for now I'll enjoy it. **

**Rougue8496: Sorry, it's been a while. Just had no desire to type. **

**AutobotGuy710: I'm still alive!**

**Anodythe: Problems? I read a book one time that described a dream/ delusion and he kept having it but it blended into the main story so much, the only reason you knew about it was because it was always described the same way. And on my side, I've always had very real dreams (no matter HOW dumb they are) and meh, decided to run with that. And yeah, Avalon's not happy and Copper's smug and Sentinel is ready to bang his head against a wall. Yep, life's good. **

**Child of Jon Snow: Yes :) i wanted to do that SO badly. And yeah, the intro was fun to write. *shudder* but i like Wheeljack so much...**

**Allseer: Well we do get to hear from him. And Chrome's a bit of a jerk here. Heh...**

**Skyice98: Oh yes he did. **

**XcaliforniandreamerX: Most of it was assumption on Ratchet behalf. Sandy did say he attacked Ripsaw and just kinda running with it, the easiest way to kill someone would be to rip their throat out if they don't have access to their weapons. Considering Ripsaw isn't dead, Ratchet kinda assumed that he didn't have access to weapons. Plus, nothing is much freakier then someone walking in with a half torn out throat for a worst case scenario nightmare. (take it from someone who has)**

**Teckna13: Yeah, Avalon got what he deserves and Sandy is still missing. All's good. **

* * *

"We need to talk."

"I'm not sorry I did it." Ratchet said as he stood his ground, armor flared slightly in defiance. "Part of being a medic is making decisions you think is best for the patient. And that's what I did. I know I defied you but I saved Axil's life. If I hadn't gone to them then Ripsaw and Copper would have gotten him and you know that. He'd be halfway to Kaon by now if he's even still functional. You may be mad at me but I stand by my decision."

Ratchet released a vent of air before groaning.

"This is never going to work, Chrome's gonna use me for scrap metal." He grumbled.

"No he won't." Focus said, his attention on Ratchet's servo. "You have a valid point and any medic would agree."

"Yeah but this is Chro- Ow!" Ratchet yanked his servo away from Focus, cradling it against his chassis as a sharp pain shot down his wrist. "That hurt!"

"Of course it did you aft!" Focus snapped. "You broke it!"

"I did not!" Ratchet objected before wilting at the dark look Focus gave him. "Nothing serious is broken."

"Yeah, only a _joint_." Focus shot back, sticking his servo out, palm up. With a scowl Ratchet dropped his damaged servo into Focus' to continue working on. "You still haven't told me what you did. You fall or something?"

"No." Ratchet said, wincing as the other mech continued working on trying to repair the damaged hinge.

"That's impact damage." Focus said without looking up. "If you didn't fall, you hit some-"

His jaw dropped open as he stared at Ratchet in alarm. "What did you hit!"

"A wall." Ratchet said with a grimace. "Two orns ago give or take? It was four in the morning."

"Why are you hitting walls?!"

"I was mad and I couldn't throw something at the mech I was mad at." Ratchet said simply with a one sided shrug. "So I punched a wall. It was a bit more solid then I thought it was."

"I'm gonna ask why you didn't tell your mentor you busted your servo and you're going to give me a straight answer that doesn't involve me wanting to bang your head against the wall." Focus ground out, glaring at Ratchet.

"I hit a wall." Ratchet repeated with another shrug. "Chrome's got enough things to worry about. Sterling's still in bad shape and there's no word about Sandstorm."

"In other words you're avoiding him like a rust infection." Focus said with a scowl. "Well, you're gonna have to go see him. This was a simple fracture but now the joint's cracked all the way through. I can't fix it here."

"Well that's a problem." Ratchet grumbled under his breath. "Frag, I didn't know I hit him that hard."

"You hit who?!" Focus yelled and Ratchet jerked his servo back before Focus could damage it by accident.

"It was reflex." Ratchet objected as he rubbed at his wrist. Focus had removed the thin plates off his servo to get to the busted joint and it felt weird having the wires and hydraulics exposed. "They caused Dusty to have a selion attack and one of them had punched Axil." He added as he trailed off miserable.

"They as in _Them_?" Focus asked and Ratchet nodded.

"Wow." He said with wide optics. "Is that how you got that dent in your jaw I saw the other orn?"

"Yeah." Ratchet said causally, giving his servo back to Focus to keep working on. "Chrome doesn't know about that either. He was still gone by the end of the orn."

"Ratch, you can't keep avoiding him!" Focus protested, gesturing to Ratchet's servo. "Here! Use this an excuse! At least it's legit."

"I know I know…" Ratchet grumbled miserably, shaking his helm. "I'm not looking forward to this."

"What's the worst he could do? Honestly. If he kicks you out because of this, then he's not the right mentor for you. And I don't mean that in a bad way!" He objected when Ratchet gave him a dark look. "But if he doesn't like his apprentice making his own decisions about patients, why's he teaching you. Right? Chrome ain't gonna be around forever. No mech is."

"Yeah I guess." Ratchet said with a sigh before grinding his free servo into his optics. "Frag… and Dusty said that Chrome would be back this orn."

"Then get going and quit stalling. I got a shift in a joor anyways and traffic is always a mess." Focus said as he stood up. Ratchet continued muttering under his breath as he replaced the thin armor on the back of his servo.

"Don't worry, I'll come pick up your pieces after I'm done my shift. I'll see you tonight."

"If I survive Chrome." Ratchet grumbled, flexing his servo before standing as well. "Ugh."

"Ah, you'll live." Focus said, making sure to lock the door before they left and giving Ratchet a grin. "You're too stubborn to terminate."

"Primus does _that_ ever sound familiar." Ratchet said, rolling his optics as Focus laughed.

"You know, I never thought I'd end you with you here." He said still grinning.

"What do you mean?" Ratchet asked as they rode the lift down.

"Come on Ratch, I grew up in the middle of Iacon and the farthest I'd ever been was the apartment we got." Focus said. "If you'd told me I would end up all the way out here while you chased crazy miners around, I'd have said you had a few screws loose."

"Ya know what?" Ratchet asked, pausing at the side of the road to give Focus a grin. "I probably would have said the same to you."

ooOOoo

Just as Ratchet was about to drive into the mine, am unknown spark signature caught his attention and he hit the brakes as soon as he saw what it was.

A massive turbofox was lounging up on top of the cliff face above the mine entrance and it was watching him with far too intelligent optics. The thing was easily as big as his alt mode and would take him down before he even got 10 feet down the road.

Slowly Ratchet transformed, never taking his optics off of the creature and as soon as he stood upright, the canine stretched with a yawn, exposing fangs that would punch though his armor like nothing. It sat down to continue watching him, whip like tail curled around it's paws.

"You're a long way from home." Ratchet said carefully. "Teraxians rarely leave their pack territory."

The mech opened his mouth in what Ratchet hoped was a grin, panting slightly.

"Medic is smart for a fuel-burner." He said after a moment in a raspy voice. "Not many recognise Brokefang for what Brokefang really is."

"Brokefang? That's your designation?" Ratchet asked.

"Yes." The mech replied simply. "But Medic is wrong about Brokefang's territory. Brokefang's territory is close by. Only a few miles away. Predaking and his mate are there."

"There's only three of you?" Ratchet asked nervously. He didn't think the canine-like mech would be able to take out Sterling, but Carbon would have one pit of fight and even Sandstorm wouldn't stand a chance against the mech. If he wasn't the Predaking, then someone even stronger then him was and _that_ was what worried him. A lone Teraxian was a threat, a pack was a guarantee that someone was going to get terminated.

"Yes." Brokefang replied before abruptly jumping from the cliff. Ratchet spun to keep the mech in his sight as he easily cleared Ratchet to land on the road behind him, mouth still open in a grin. "Brokefang's turn to ask questions. Medic has Predaking's scent on him. What is Medic's designation?"

"Ratchet." He said before stiffening slightly in confusion. He could smell a Teraxian on him? But he'd never met one before.

"Is this Ratchet's pack territory? Their-" He cut himself off with a harsh bark like sound before snarling low under his breath, shaking his helm. "Brokefang doesn't know what the word is in non pack-speak."

"Pack territory, you mean the mining gang? I'm just one of them. The boss, sorry Predaking, is Dusty." Ratchet replied.

"Yes, Predaking's Predaking." Brokefang said, nodding his long muzzle.

Ratchet stared at him in confusion, trying to decipher his confusing words.

"What's your Predaking's designation?" Ratchet asked finally.

"Sterling Silver." The mech said simply like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Sterling?! Why does that not surprise me. That makes Carmine the Predaqueen. " Ratchet said with a quiet laugh, shaking his helm before gesturing toward the mine. "He's inside if you want to follow me in."

Brokefang immediately took a few steps back, armor flaring as his lowered his helm in a challenge, fangs bared.

"Brokefang refuses to go into a termination pit." He snarled.

The way he said it made his energon lines freeze and Ratchet nodded, knowing the mech had every right to be nervous. With a nod in the mech's direction Ratchet turned and walked into the mine, nervously glancing up at the ceiling. It was solid but still. Things could happen.

He easily made it to the main cavern, taking the cables down instead of the long ramp they'd carved into the metal for Longhaul and Carbon.

Sterling, Dusty, Axil and Jigsaw were standing off to the side, close to where they had started working on another shaft and Ratchet headed toward them.

"Hey Predaking!" He called and Sterling straightened even as the others whipped around in alarm.

"What?!" Dusty demanded, staring at Ratchet even as Sterling slowly turned to him with wide optics and his armor pinned tight against his frame.

"Your pack's outside." Ratchet said, still watching Sterling's reaction. The silver mech flinched as Dusty spun to him.

"You still have him?!" He yelled.

"Ya. An' 'ee probably 'eard tha'." Sterling said with a groan, dragging his servo down his faceplates.

"Why the frag is _he_ here!"

"Ah dunno!" Sterling shot back before stalking toward the cables. Ratchet followed a ticked off Dusty and confused Axil and Jigsaw as they followed Sterling back up.

They were almost outside when there was a howl of pain and a sharp, very turbofox like snarl.

"Fraggit Sterling! I'm going to off' him myself!" Dusty yelled, running past.

"Like tah see ya try." He grumbled as he easily caught up to the shorter mech. Ratchet skidded out onto the plateau to see Impactor's bracer dripping with energon and a long blade in his good servo.

Brokefang's jaws were stained with fresh energon and he was standing a ways off, helm down and armor flared as he continued to snarl.

"Brokefang!" Sterling yelled, armor flaring before rippling down his frame to create a sharp hiss that Ratchet knew could be sped up into that spark stopping scream he'd used to taunt the driller.

The canine's posture immediately turned to submission, armor pulling tight against his frame as he pressed himself almost to the ground.

"Wha' tah frag!" Sterling demanded before turning to Impactor. "Wha' tah frag mech!"

"He started it!" Impactor snapped, jabbing the blade toward the Teraxian. "All I did was come up the road!"

Brokefang sent a deliberate bark and snarl at Impactor and the mech lunged at the Teraxian with a furious yell.

Sterling was suddenly in the way, the jagged edge of his knife catching Impactor's blade before it could come down on a smug looking Brokefang.

"Leave 'im alone." Sterling snarled, easily holding Impactor back. With sharp curse the other mech broke away, giving Sterling an almost murderous glare as he backed off.

"That was always one thing we disagreed on." He growled before spinning and stalking into the mine. Ratchet reached out an arm to stop the mech but Impactor roughly shoved him aside with a snarl, his servo still pressed against the bite on his bracer. Jigsaw shot a servo out to stabilise him and Ratchet nodded his thanks. He was about to go after Impactor but at the look Dusty gave him, changed his processor.

"An' you!" Sterling snarled, spinning on the suddenly cowering Teraxian, his armor still rippling in anger. "Wha' ya doin' here!?"

"There was a trespasser on Prebaking's territory. Trespasser had Prebaking's scent." He said quietly, his entire frame pressed flat against the ground.

"What's he talking about." Dusty demanded.

"Something was wrong with Trespasser's processor." Brokefang said, watching Dusty. "Trespasser could hardly walk Trespasser was so badly damaged. Looked like Trespasser was in a pack fight."

"Wha' they look like." Sterling asked, his own armor flaring.

"Tarnian with sand colored armor."

"Sandstorm?!" Ratchet squawked, taking a few steps forward in dumb shock. "You saw Sandy? He's alright?! What the frag's he still doing in Iacon?!"

"You said he'd taken off to Tarn!" Axil said in alarm. "Were there others with him!? We haven't heard from Rock, Clout or Eight."

"Trespasser didn't say Trespasser's designation." Brokefang said, sliding back a step. "Trespasser was alone."

"Fraggit." Axil hissed, glancing away.

"How the frag is he still functional!" Ratchet yelled to no one in particular.

"Brokefang doesn't know." He said, still pressed against the ground. "Trespasser-"

"It has to be Sandstorm! I'm gonna off' him myself!" Ratchet spat. "If he was here the whole time I could have helped him!"

"Naw, 'ee's smart not tah come Ratch." Sterling said with a sigh, turning toward him as his armor finally settled. "Tah Guard would 'ave put up ah perimeter. By stayin' in Iacon 'ee avoided 'em."

"I could have at least put his processor back in place!" Ratchet snapped, grinding his denta in annoyance before he stiffened and his gaze snapped to Brokefang.

"Could you track him?" He asked anxiously. "I might still able to help him."

"Brokefang could." He said, slowly sitting up. "Brokefang is the best tracker around. But if Guard are looking for Sandstorm Brokefang won't get involved."

"What?! Why not!"

"Calm down Ratch." Dusty interrupted. "The beast-mech's right."

Brokefang growled lowly at the insult and Sterling shot him a murderous glare.

"What?!" Ratchet squawked, wide optic gaze snapping to Sterling. "Wha'da mean he's right?!"

"If you two start tracking him, the Guard will defiantly figure out something's going on. They'll be on you before you ever found him." Dusty explained. "I know his record Ratch, he's a tough spawn of a glitch. He'll make it."

"Oh that's comforting." Ratchet grumbled before rubbing his servo. "Fraggin glitch. If that fragmentation doesn't off' him then infection could and if not that the Guard and if not _that _I will!"

"Ratchet." Sterling interrupted again. "Give 'em some credit. Ee's not soft."

"He's not indestructible either." Ratchet growled, arms crossed over his chassis.

"Sandstorm didn't smell of infection." Brokefang spoke up almost hesitantly. "And Sandstorm was still strong."

"How do you know?" Ratchet asked.

"Sandstorm did this."

Brokefang abruptly stood up on his back legs, not so much as transforming so much as changing how he looked. His front legs became slimmer, claw tipped digits becoming more distinguished even as his shoulder joints shifted backwards to better handle his upright posture.

He turned slightly and Ratchet saw the shallow gash running from the base of his shoulder guard down to his hip bolt.

"Ya 'ttacked him?!" Sterling yelled, armor on edge again as his servos fisted at his sides. "Ya said 'ee 'ad mah scent on 'im!"

Brokefang recoiled again, dropping his helm down slightly so that he was no longer the same height as the other mech.

"Brokefang didn't know Trespasser was part of Predaking's pack. Trespasser smelt of energon. Of bad energon. Brokefang didn't smell Predaking till after Brokefang attacked Sandstorm."

"Infection, I knew it!" Ratchet hissed but Brokefang shook his helm.

"No not infection. Just bad energon." He corrected. "Like..."

He trailed off again, barking a strange cough, then looking at Sterling.

"Rotten energon." Sterling translated. "Ee probably couldn' get clean."

Ratchet scowled, still not liking it.

"Sandstorm had a bad stutter and kept shaking Sandstorm's helm." Brokefang continued with a grin. "Brokefang ambushed Sandstorm but Sandstorm could still fight. Sandstorm is a good pack mate. Strong."

"Ah know 'ee is. Tha's why weh worried 'bout 'im." Sterling said with a scowl.

"Sandstorm was hoping to find Predaking's lair so that Sandstorm could tell Predaking Sandstorm was going to Tarn. Sandstorm was sorry Sandstorm had to leave but Sandstorm was in too much danger to stay in Iacon. Sandstorm will be back in a few groons."

"Did he tell you what he did to Ripsaw?" Ratchet asked, at the same time not wanting to know.

"Sandstorm tore out Captain of the Guard's throat." Brokefang said with a feral grin. "Like Brokefang said, Sandstorm is a strong mech."

"He's a glitch." Ratchet hissed, clenching his servos till the pain in his damaged one caused him to relax.

"Is that all?" Dusty asked and the Teraxian snarled at him. Sterling lunged at him, cuffing him upside the helm hard enough to knock him back.

"Ah may beh ya Predaking bu' 'ee's mine!" Sterling spat, his entire posture dangerous. "If tha's all then git back 'ome. Anyone find out ya 'ere an' they'll 'unt ya down."

"Brokefang like to see them try." The Teraxian snarled with a dangerous grin.

"Git!" Sterling barked, jabbing a digit back down the road. The canine dropped back to his peds and turned back down the road, trotting off.

"Brokefang!" Sterling called after him abruptly and the canine paused, glancing back before sitting down and waiting. Sterling walked over to him, crouching down to be on his level better and saying something. Abruptly the mech threw his helm back with a loud howl before taking off down the road.

"What'd you say to him." Dusty demanded, arms crossed over his chassis.

"Promised 'im weh'd go 'untin' later." Sterling said with a shrug as he walked back into the mine.

"Hold up!" Ratchet called, jogging to catch up the bigger mech. "What was that all about. What's he mean you're his Predaking? I missed something somewhere."

"Thought ya knew 'bout 'is kind." Sterling said, glancing down at him. Ratchet nodded.

"Predaking is their pack leader. I want to know how you got _that_ title and what the frag he's doing all the way up here. And why does Impactor hate him so much? He seems a decent mech. For a Teraxian."

Sterling chuckled, shaking his helm with a smirk.

"Poly'exians don't like strangers." Sterling explained. "Only place tha' actually likes 'em is the capital itself because o' tourism. Teh border towns, like where Ah'm from, don' like strangers. When 'Pact'a got transferred there, nobody liked 'em. Weh 'it it off though an' we stuck together. This was befo' mah 'unter codin'."

Ratchet nodded in understanding.

"Aft'a mah coding, mechs avoided meh fo' good reason. Ah couldn' control it at tah best o' times." Sterling continued in a low voice. "Teraxian packs often came tah Straxis tah stock up, trade, socialise, tha' kinda thing."

"Trade in what?" Ratchet asked.

"Wha' do ya think?" Sterling asked back with smirk. Instantly the facts about Teraxians being cannibals came back to him and he shuddered.

"Tah weak don' survive an' they won't waste ah thing." Sterling said with another shrug. "Anyways, Ah never 'ad ah problem with 'em. Some mechs did but tah Predaqueen knew meh. There were ah lot o' jokes 'bout if mah grandcarri'a was 'alf 'er age she'd 'ave taken over tah pack. Anyway she let meh run with 'er pack when they were in Straxis. 'Er mate convinced meh tah go aft'a Carmine. Nearly terminated meh in tah processes but 'ee taught meh not tah fight mah codin'. As odd as it sounds, it 'elped. Course, Carmine did far more."

"How does Brokefang fit into this?" Ratchet asked.

"Ee was one o' tah Predaqueen's pack. She ran 'im off an' 'ee managed tah find meh 'ere." Sterling said with a shrug. "Ee kept 'ttackin' anyone tha' tried tah build out 'ere so Ah convinced tah land owner tah let meh an' Carmine try. Ah beat 'em in ah fair fight fo' lead'aship an' weh've 'ad tah property since."

"And he guards the place?" Ratchet asked nervously and Sterling laughed.

"Course 'ee does. It's 'is Predaking's territory." Sterling said with a dangerous grin. "They ah lot mo' dangerous then meh."

"That's a scary thought." Ratchet grumbled before Dusty placed a servo on his shoulder guard.

"And that's not the only scary thing. Chrome's back. He wants to talk to you."

"He can't even comm me himself?" Ratchet growled lowly before huffing air from his vents in annoyance. "Fine. Time to go get yelled at."

"I'll come." Axil said firmly. "He has no right to be angry at you."

"Actually yeah he does." Ratchet said with wince. "I did go against him. In any other place I'd have been kicked out and stripped of my apprenticeship."

"What!" Jigsaw yelled. "He can do that?!"

"Yes." Ratchet said with a sigh. "And don't bother Axil. He's already ground you into scrap metal for this."

"Come on Ratch-" Axil objected but he shook his helm.

"No, I'll be fine." Ratchet repeated before clapping the mech on the back as he left. "I'll be fine."

ooOOoo

Ratchet stopped dead in the doorway, staring at the sad excuse of a mech.

"You look awful." Ratchet said, staring at Chrome.

"Working for Arachnid will do that to a mech." Chrome said quietly, slumped in his office chair with his helm in his servos. Hesitantly Ratchet walked into the office, leaning against the doorframe. A half full cube of dark blue energon was sitting on the counter and Ratchet could smell the high-grade.

"You wanted to see me?" Ratchet asked.

"Yeah." Chrome said, glancing up at Ratchet with tired optics. It was then that he noticed Chrome's servos trembling. Considering how bad of shape he'd been in after just a few joors, he didn't know how Chrome had stood up for so long. "About Axil."

"I'm not sorry I did it." Ratchet said flatly, crossing his arms over his chassis. "I don't care what you say or do, I'd do it again in a sparkbeat if it meant it would save another's life. That's what being a medic means."

"And you did good."

The response was not what he had expected and Ratchet dropped his arms in surprise.

"I knew you wouldn't listen to me." Chrome continued, lowering his helm again into his servos. "I will admit, I didn't think you'd last as long as you did."

"Wait. This was all a _test_?!" Ratchet squawked. "You're- You're- sick! You could have gotten Axil terminated!"

"Calm down Ratchet, I knew we didn't have any other choice." Chrome said, sitting up with a groan to relax back against his chair. "I'd been thinking about it since you brought it up at the bonfire. You were right, it was our only option."

"So why the frag didn't we do it then!" Ratchet demanded. "Copper could have known about it long before he attacked Axil and Sandy."

"You're sure he was fragmented?" Chrome asked.

"Yes, his speech was slurred and- and don't change the subject!" Ratchet snapped, jabbing a digit toward Chrome. "You could have off'ed Axil and just to- to- what!"

"Test you."

"Test me?!" Ratchet practically shrieked. "You call that a test?! What part of _Axil could have terminated_ did you miss?!"

"Would you _please_ stop yelling? I've heard enough screaming in the last groon." Chrome said with a sigh. Ratchet flinched back to where he had been leaning against the doorframe, crossing his arms over his chassis again with a scowl.

"So you decided to test me by risking a mech's life." Ratchet said lowly.

"Something like that." Chrome said with a half shrug. "Ratchet you have to understand, I had no intentions of letting Axil be taken away. If it came to it, yes I would have allowed you to take him to those mechs. At the same time, I wanted to know if you could think on your own."

"Wha-"

"Mute it and let me speak." Chrome snapped, glaring at Ratchet. "I know you think I'm a monster but I'm not. All you've done so far is listen to what I tell you. Following my orders and the like. Anyone can do what their told, it's thinking on their own that's the hard part. Medics are the same way. I like Focus, he's got some fire in him but he'll take orders from someone over thinking for his own. You understand?"

"Yes." Ratchet replied with a frown, glancing away. "That was a serious risk you took."

"I told you, I would never have let them take Axil." Chrome said, glancing at Ratchet again. "You have to believe me on that. I may take risks but it's for the good of my gang. If I'm not here, would you be able to take care of the gang?"

"You're not going anywhere." Ratchet said firmly. Chrome chuckled, nodding slightly.

"I try not to. I heard Dusty had a selion attack. Is that burn healing properly?"

"Yes." Ratchet replied before scowling again. "You changed the subject."

"What do you want me to say?" Chrome asked finally. "I'm proud that you made your own decision? Cause I am. You're well on your way to become a skilled medic. Was I glitched to take that chance? Yes. And I swear I won't ever take that kind of a risk again but I had to know."

Ratchet continued to scowl before finally letting a gust of air escape him, rubbing the side of his neck cables before flinching as the joint in his servo crackled. Chrome immediately shot upright, grabbing the armrests of his chair to look at Ratchet.

"What did you do."

"I punched a Guard." He said with a smirk, flexing his servo before curling it into a fist and glancing back at Chrome. "He was keeping me from getting to Dusty so I hit him."

Chrome threw his helm back against the chair and howled with laughter.

"Oh Primus, did you at least knock him out?" He asked in-between gasping laughter.

"Yes. But I broke a joint in my servo." Ratchet said with a shrug. "Actually I hit a wall first, then I hit a guard."

"That's priceless." Chrome continued as he stood up, walking toward Ratchet. Ratchet held his servo out, still smirking as Chrome examined it.

ooOOoo

Ratchet hesitated just on the shadows that surrounded what had once been Sandy and Axil's home. Even a cycle after the Guard had come for them, the building and the surrounding ones were still smouldering from the fire that had come out of nowhere. He glanced at Axil to see the mech far tenser then what he had been in the last few orns.

"You alright?" He asked, glancing at the dark grey mech.

Axil nodded with a sigh before glancing toward Ratchet.

"What can I say?" Axil said with a shrug. "It was just a building. I just wish I knew what had happened to Eight and the others."

"I'm sure they're alright." Jigsaw spoke up from beside Ratchet. "They sound tough."

"It's Eight I'm worried about." Axil said with a sigh. "He's not strong enough to handle anything that the Guard would do to him. Primus I hope they didn't get him."

Ratchet stiffened as he sensed three mechs approaching them. He was about to hiss a warning but Axil had already heard them judging from the way he stiffened as well. The low rumble of a helicopter caught his attention and he took a step backwards farther into the shadows.

"Axil! Come on." Jigsaw hissed, grabbing the mech's arm. Hesitantly Axil followed Jigsaw back into the shadows.

Across the clearing, a pair of mechs and a femme walked out between two buildings. The bigger of the two mechs, easily as tall as Sterling but with a bulkier frame, walked forward to examine the still smoking remains. The other mech, a skittish thin mech and a determined looking femme remained off to the side. All three had red armor with the Search and Rescue insignia on their shoulder guards. The mechs had white and black accents while the femme had bright orange that rivaled his own neon yellow paint.

"They're not Guard." Axil said softly, watching the three intently.

"Search and Rescue. Probably keeping an optic on that mess in case it flames up." Jigsaw said with a scowl. "Come on, anyone with a badge makes me skittish."

"Skittish…" Ratchet dragged out, watching the slimmer of the two mechs. "You know, he does look really skittish."

"You're right." Axil mumbled, taking a step forward. "He reminded me a bit of-"

Abruptly the mech straightened in alarm. "That's Eight!"

"What?!"

"The way he walks! He sound's different because he had different armor but that's him!" Axil continued before walking out of the shadows.

"Axil! You glitch!" Ratchet hissed before reaching out like he was going to strangle the mech. Jigsaw groaned before following Axil out into the open. Ratchet stiffened as the bigger of the two mechs straightened, armor flaring as he shifted to put himself between Axil and his partners.

"Who the frag are you." The mech snarled and Ratchet nearly jumped out of armor as the airborne mech suddenly slammed to the ground beside Axil and Jigsaw. With a yelp Axil covered his over sensitive audios and Ratchet darted to the mech's side. But Axil completely ignored him to focus on the thin mech starting at them like he'd seen a spark eater.

"Eight?" Axil asked quietly and it was like some invisible trigger had gone off.

"I don't know who you are but you're not hurting Red." The copter snarled, the single set of rotor blades on his back clicking together in a warning. The other big mech and the femme had also flared their armor in aggression.

"Why don't you try and stop us cloud-sucker!" Jigsaw spat, blades dropping from subspace.

"Wait wait! Spotlight wait!" The skittish mech called out, shoving past the big red one. "Inferno wait."

"Red, what're ya talking about? Ya know them?" The mech asked in a slight accent, throwing an arm out to stop the slim mech.

Ratchet knew it was Eight the instant the mech jumped back at the sudden motion, throwing his arms up to protect his helm. Axil had already grabbed Jigsaw's bracer, pulling his arm down before he could attack the taller aerial.

"Primus I'd thought the Guard had caught you." Axil said quietly, turning back to the slim mech as he walked around the big one.

"I- I came back when t-the place was on fire." Eight said carefully, optics still darting around nervously. "F-Firestar and Inferno got me a- a job."

"They what?!" Ratchet yelled and the helicopter snarled, optics snapping to him and Ratchet gave him a scathing glare. "Please tell me they fixed your leg at least!"

"What's it matter to you glitch!" The femme snapped and Ratchet stiffened in surprise at her aggression.

"Because I don't want it getting infected." Ratchet shot back, propping his servos on his hipbolts and turning the glare on her. "I'm an apprentice medic. It's my job to care and it could terminate him if infection spreads. He's a factory worker, they got little to no virus protection."

"N- n- no they haven't fixed my leg." Eight said quietly. "But I'm taking care of it."

"Good." Ratchet said with a growl.

"Primus, you are as bad as Chrome." Jigsaw growled and Ratchet snarled, cuffing him over the helm.

"What kind of job." Axil asked but the mech once again blocked Eight.

"Hold up Red." The mech, Inferno he assumed, growled lowly, suspicion clouding his white optics as his heavy armor flared. . "How do we know we can trust them? That bounty's pretty impressive."

"Bounty?! What bounty?!" Axil demanded, spinning to Ratchet in alarm and the mech had the decency to wince. "You didn't tell me there was a bounty on him!"

"I know there's a bounty on Sandstorm, I didn't know about Eight." He replied honestly.

"What about Rock and Clout? What about them?" Axil asked, his voice wavering. Eight hissed painfully, flinching back against Inferno and Axil spat a curse, servos fisting at his side. "Fraggin' Guard. Nothing but murders!"

"Axil!" Ratchet hissed, optics shooting toward the other mechs in alarm.

"No he's right." Inferno mumbled, optics darting first to the femme, then to the copter. Both nodded and the femme even went so far as to place a slim servo on Eight's shoulder guard. To Ratchet's dumb shock, he allowed it.

"You're friend's right." He said quietly. "We may not have it as bad as you but we're not ignorant to what happens around here.

"Did you hear anything from Sandstorm?" Eight asked hesitantly.

"We just got word this morning." Ratchet said. "He's functional. Ripsaw-" He cut himself off abruptly, once again eyeing the strangers. "Ripsaw damaged him but he'd online."

"Oh thank Primus." Eight breathed, visibly relaxing.

"One of your friends?" The femme asked.

"Yes." Eight said nodding before sighing, rubbing his arms nervously.

"Eight what's wrong?" Axil asked softly, taking a small step toward the mech. "We can find a new place. Sandy will be back soon and we'll make sure nothing happens to you."

"Axil, I… I've- I've started a new life." Eight said, his voice trembling as he met Axil's optics. "I- I want to stay with them." His optics darted to the femme before back to Axil. "I- I finally got my own gang Axil. I- I hope you…" He trailed off miserably before dropping his optics and rubbing his servo up his arm.

"I get it." Axil said with a faint smirk. "I really do. I wish you the best then."

Then to Ratchet's surprise Axil turned around and walked away. Jigsaw glanced between him and the miner in confusion before shrugging and following the dark grey mech. Ratchet watched them till they were out of sight around the corner before swinging around to Inferno.

"I don't give a frag who you think you are." He snarled, jabbing a digit at the taller mech. "Anyone hurts Eight and we'll track you down. Got that?"

"_Nobody's_ gonna hurt him." Inferno growled back.

"Good." Ratchet snapped before giving Eight a nod, turning around and stalking off. Axil and Jigsaw were waiting for him around the corner and Axil grinned.

"They'll take care of him." He said with far more confidence then Ratchet felt. "Though I do find it funny that he chose Red as a designation."

* * *

**So THIS idea came literally in the middle of the night and I ran with it. full tilt. To say i like it is a complete understatement because like i said a long time ago, writing a pre-war story means i get to mess around with backstories to my heart's content. Therefor, i now get to check someone else off the list. Have an awesome week and hope to post next week. **

**Oh, i have another oneshot I'm posting hopefully today, i just need to tweak it more. **

**Read and Review!**


	36. Edge

**I'M ALIVE! My muse isn't but i am. **

**So to be honest, i finally gave up on this chapter and so now i can focus on the next chapter because quite frankly, this one was driving me crazy. **

**Thanks everyone that's still with me even though it's been 2 freaking months. I'\ll try to get a better chapter next time.  
**

**Guest: Sorry for the long wait, lots of stuff going on and i'm in a loosing battle with writers block. **

**Tildawn: I'm so glad you like it so far. I've always loved Red and Inferno's friendship because someone that twitchy would drive me CRAZY but at the same time, Red's paranoia keeps Inferno's headstrongness in check. And I've always loved Inferno and Firestar so it's a win win. Also, from Axil's POV, anyplace is better then where Red/Eight was so for him to literally get a second chance at life in a better place is huge. **

**Murican Hero: Yes, here's more. Lousy chapter (cough hack) but it will get better. And like I've said, he gets whats coming to him as for mom, we'll see. Not quiet sure what's in store for her. I do want her to come back though. **

**What Lies Beyond: LOVE the song, already told you that :) And the idea about Red/Eight literally hit me out of nowhere, i just had to tie it all in. This is after all where all the origins stories come in. Pre-war is so much fun. **

**Rogue8496: Yeah... ugh... writers block sucks... working... slowly...**

**AutobotGuy217: I"M ALIVE! AND I POSTED! BONUS! yeesh...**

**DawnfireJazz: Glad you liked it. I cant wait to write the moment when Ratchet realised just how much Red will have changed. **

**Skyice98: Yep! Crazy idea and ran with it. Not like I've ever done that before. **

**Child of Jon Snow: There. I posted. **

* * *

Carbon did a double take when he saw the hulking, rusted out frame of a single mech mobile drill sitting up on the plateau. It was impossible to tell the original color as most of the paneling had been stripped away and what was left was half eaten away by rust and scraplets. The tip of the massive cone shaped drill on the front had been snapped off and was useless, it was more likely to shatter and terminate someone. He continued giving it an odd look as he drove toward the mine until he froze and transformed in a rush, whipping around as he realised a pair of legs were sticking out from under the machine.

For a moment his spark stopped before he realised that the drill had been propped up at an angle and that the mech underneath was still shifting around and not pinned under its crushing weight.

Cocking his helm to the side he walked over in time to hear a crack, a gush, and a sharp curse. He couldn't help but smirk when Axil scooted out on his back, dark brown hydraulic fluid covering his faceplates and chassis. He sat up with a disgusted sound, shaking the stuff off his servos.

"Yuck." He grumbled, dragging his bracer across his visor and only streaking it even worse before noticing the huge black miner in front of him. "Oh. Hi. Sorry about the mess."

"What is going on here?" Carbon asked, gesturing toward the rusted out machine and the various tools, datapads and machine parts scattered over the area. "Are those Chrome's tools? Cause I swear to Primus you're more glitched than Sterling and I will _not_ bail your aft out of whatever he does to you."

Axil glanced around before subspacing a rag to wipe the fluid from his faceplates.

"No no, they're mine. I got them from a friend of Jigsaw's." He said simply before reaching over and picking up a datapad with the rag. He turned it on, flipping through pages as he muttered to himself and streaking the screen with grime. "Must be an older model. It shouldn't have done that."

"Good because the last time someone took Chrome's tools, and I swear to Primus I'm not lying, he welded them to the wall." Carbon said straight faced. Axil glanced up him in morbid alarm and Carbon shrugged. "Trust me, I'm still trying to figure out how he got Sterling up there."

"Wow. That's… just scary." Axil muttered before glancing back up at Carbon and shaking the datapad at him with a smirk. "Hydraulic fluid should not be dark brown." He said in a matter of fact way before grabbing another datapad. "Then again, that oil I drained out was practically a solid…"

"I wouldn't know. I've never tried to fix one of those things." Carbon replied, watching the mech with amusement. Ever since he'd come back with those weird pink optics he'd been back to normal. A little jumpier and his senses were still over active but his happy-go-lucky attitude was back. "Did Ratchet get you the datapads? I didn't think he was allowed near the Hall of Records anymore."

"Wheeljack gave them to me." Axil said off handily like that would explain everything as he reached for yet a third datatpad. "He said they were a little outdated but I got to keep them. They're still fairly recent, at least recent enough they're helping me figure out how this thing is supposed to work. "

"Of course." Carbon said, rolling his optics before something dawned on him and he gestured at the machine. "But where the frack did you get _that?_ That things probably been sitting around rusting for metacycles."

"I remembered seeing it up at Chainjack's." Axil said with a shrug. "Sterling hauled it down for me. He thinks I'm crazy as well just so you know."

"And just how do you plan on getting it going…?" Carbon asked, looking the rusting heap over again. "There's a reason Chainjack never had it fixed."

"Well, the good news is that I _should_ be able to fix all the mechanical issues." Axil said, folding his legs to sit cross-legged on the ground, his helm cranked back to keep looking up at Carbon. "The bad news is, I have no idea where I'm gonna get a new drill bit. They don't make them anymore. At least not around here."

"Are you even aware how long that's going to take to rebuild that pile of rust?" Carbon asked with a frown. "You could end up wasting a lot of time, effort and credits on it. Those things were breaking down a lot at the best of times."

"Yeah it will take me a while but think about it Carbon! If we get it going, we can get more crystals, who knows, we might make it to another cavern like the one we're working in now."

"Those things aren't nearly as efficient for small mines as you think they are." Carbon explained hesitantly. "They were never used to mine crystal, they create too much waste metal. It was never worth the effort to have mechs haul it away and others to separate the crystal out of the scarp."

"But they were used in Kaon. I though Kaon was a huge energon exporter." Axil asked. Carbon hesitated again, dark memories resurfacing and he forced them down. Axil was one of the youngest in the gang and he'd been spared the worst. Carbon hated admitting his age but he had seen far too much in far too long of a life.

"Yes a lot of energon comes out of Kaon, but there's also a lot of ores that get shipped to Tarn." Carbon said levelly as he gestured toward the machine. "The ore and scrap were mined together and melted down to a liquid. The scrap either burned off or floated to the top and got scraped off, leaving the good metal behind. Depending on what kinds of ore you were mining, the good metals would separate as it melted and you'd end up with layers that had to be carefully drained off."

Images of one of the Masters holding another, smaller miner by the neck cables flashed though his processor and he shook his helm at the mech's pained screams as a second Master forced the mech's arm into the liquid metal echoed in his helm. He'd tried to drain the metal off before it was completely settled and it had come out contaminated. The mech had later terminated from his injuries.

As fast as they had come, the screams were gone and he realised Axil was speaking again.

"-work right?" Axil asked was saying. "You and Longhaul would be enough to get the scrap out. At least it would help break it up faster instead of having to do it all by servo."

"I… guess it would." Carbon replied, shifting uncomfortably. Even just looking at that thing was dragging up things he wished he could forget. "It might break up the crystals but if we can get them faster I don't think it will matter."

"Ha! Told Dusty it would work." Axil said with a grin before he abruptly slid back under the drill. "Thanks Carbon!"

The big mech didn't respond as for a horrible moment he thought the drill shifted, threatening to crush Axil underneath. But again, it was just flashbacks and he forcibly reminded himself that Axil was too smart to make the mistake of not supporting it properly before crawling around underneath it.

"Anytime. Don't spend too much time on it though. You still have a real job." He cautioned, forcing a smirk onto his faceplates despite the mech not seeing him.

"Yeah yeah, I'll be there in a bit. Just want- oops- to get that off. Frag. Hope I can fix that…"

Carbon shook his helm and transformed, driving down into the mine. The ramp down into the cavern always made him twitchy but after a few nano-klick of thinking the walls were closing in on him, he drove out into the cavern. Once again he paused when he saw Sterling laying down on one of the ledges, his legs crossed at the ankle joints and his helm propped up on a bent arm. His heavy armor was off to the side, exposing the burn scars covering his bare chassis.

"You functional?" Carbon asked only have joking. A single white optic lit up before focusing on Carbon and Sterling smirked though it looked more like a wince.

"Jus' takin' ah breather." He said quietly, shuttering his optic again.

"You are alright though?" Carbon asked again.

"Relax mech." Sterling continued. "Ah may beh old bu' Ah still got some fight left in meh. It will take mo' then ah glitched pain grid tah keep meh down. Just… takin' ah break."

"Yeah but can you get up?" Carbon asked with a faint smirk.

"Frag off." Sterling grumbled and Carbon walked over, grinning openly as he stood beside Sterling.

"Come on you rust heap."

"Rust heap yaself." Sterling replied, onlineing his optics to glare at Carbon's offered servo. Carbon cocked an optic ridge at him and Sterling scowled before reaching up to grab his servo. Carefully Carbon pulled him upright and Sterling staggered upright before groaning as his spinal support popped loudly.

"What about not getting old?" Carbon asked good naturally only to receive a low growl from the silver mech. "Ha! You need your armor to hiss at me fragger."

Sterling shoved him away with another growl and reached for his armor still on the ledge. As he turned away Carbon couldn't help but notice the ragged scars covering his frame overlaid by the more recent burn marks. A few in particular stuck out and Carbon gave Sterling a questioning look.

"I've seen that scaring before." He said softly and Sterling stiffened before glancing over his shoulder joint at Carbon. "What did you do to deserve a whipping? I though they only did that in the big mines."

"One o' tah mines Ah was at 'ad ah fo'mech tha' was fond o' whips." Sterling said with the pained smile only someone witnessing a whipping could give. "Weh 'ad ah disagreement over whether mah sire was well enough tah work. He'd gotten 'urt on ah run."

"I'm guessing it didn't go well?" Carbon asked.

"Ah couldn't move fo' three orns an' mah sire 'ad tah take mah place." Sterling replied. "It nearly terminated 'im. But Ah learnt real fast."

"Not to provoke him?" Carbon asked carefully.

"Not tah get caught." He said with a dangerous smirk. "By the tahm 'ee transferred out, 'ee was jumpin' at shadows an' wailin' like ah sparklin' in tah dark."

"You fragger, what did you do to him."

"Fragg'a liked tah take pot-shots at tah local Teraxian pack. Tah Predaqueen was mo' then 'appy tah 'elp drive 'em off."

"Remind me not to get on your bad side." Carbon said with a grin as Sterling fell in step beside him.

"Naw, nobody 'round 'ere is as superstitious as ah Poly." Sterling said with a shrug. "Ain't fun scarin' mechs."

"I'll keep that in mind." Carbon said, shaking his helm with a grin.

xxXXxx

"I underestimated you."

"Apparently a lot of mechs have." Ratchet said, careful to keep his tone neutral despite the strong urge to throttle the mech behind him. Copper snorted and Ratchet glanced back at him before continuing to clean tools. Ironlock had managed to blow a bearing in his rear axil and it had been a pain in the aft to replace it.

"But what has you in a good mood. The last time we saw each other you were convinced Sterling was offline and tried to drag Axil off for a termination sentience in Kaon." He continued before pausing and glaring over his shoulder guard at Copper. "Which we both know just means you would have shot him as soon as you got him on a shuttle."

The mech had the decency to look away and Ratchet returned to his work.

"That being said, overall we're being fairly civil to each other considering we want nothing more than to off' each other." He added off handily.

Copper chuckled and Ratchet glanced back at him again.

"You're right. Help's Chrome isn't here, I've never been able to stand him." Copper said.

"He's in the back."

"What?!"

"He's in recharge so mute it." Ratchet growled.

"Primus forbid I wake him." Copper muttered, a shiver wracking his slim frame.

"So why are you in such a good mood." Ratchet asked, drying his servos and turning to fully face Copper. The mech was still standing by the doors like he would bolt at any given moment.

"I ah... heh… you wouldn't believe me if I told you." He said, glancing away with a faint smirk.

"Try me." Ratchet said in a flat tone, fearing the worse.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but you hate Avalon as much, if not more, then I do." Copper said, giving Ratchet a sly smirk.

Ratchet leaned back against the counter, crossing his arms as he watched the royal.

"We're not exactly on speaking terms if that's what you to know." He said with a scowl, his EM field flared in a dare for the mech to press his luck.

"Then to be blunt, I believe I owe you and the rest of Dusty's gang an apology."

Ratchet stared at him in surprise before scowling again.

"You're right, I don't believe you."

"Avalon lied to me." Copper said with a sigh. "He's lied to me many times. I was told that-"

"That Sterling was offline and that Axil was a useless blind mech?" Ratchet cut in with a growl.

"Yes." Copper replied, glancing away again. "Avalon's been demoted."

"What?!" Ratchet squawked. Frag, Avalon was going to have their _hides!_

"Let me correct myself. Not so much as demoted so much as forbidden to have any say that directly effects Dusty's gang. And, you'll love this, I heard a rumor that if he even mentions your designation and he's getting kicked out."

"Oh that is rich." Ratchet scoffed. "You honestly think I believe you? You tried to murder two of my brothers. Not to mention all the other slag you're done around here, why the frag should I believe anything you have to say to us."

"And like I said, I was given false information." Copper continued, servos raised slightly in surrender. "Do you honestly think I am glitched enough to think that if either of them were functional I would stand a chance against any of your gang? I was nearly terminated Ratchet. You may think I'm a greedy spawn of a glitch but I do value my spark."

"You attacked Sandy and Axil at night with half a dozen Elite Guard." Ratchet growled. "You came in here with a dozen Guard and nearly blow up the mine. You were expecting a fight, you just didn't expect me to get Axil out or for Sterling to be fully functional."

"Yes, I heard about the little factory worker." Copper said with his usual dangerous smirk. "You'll be happy to hear he's disappeared off the face of the planet. The Guard can't find him anywhere. And believe me, Avalon's looked."

"Good." Ratchet snapped, forcing his armor flat as it flared in alarm. "Now what do you want from me."

"Seeing as I am now fully in change of Dusty's gang, perhaps we could come to some kind of agreement." Copper asked, locking blue optics with Ratchet's red pair in a kind of challenge.

"I'm just the apprentice. Why aren't you talking to Dusty." Ratchet asked. "He has the final say in everything. As much as Chrome bullies him around, Dusty is still the boss."

"Because you grew up with politics and, I mean it strictly in a political way, but you're smarter than anyone here." Copper said. "You know a good deal when you hear it. I don't want any more trouble and I'm fairly certain neither do you."

"Then let's start with proper supplies for the gang." Ratchet said with a straight face. "And forget about the rounds we're behind on. Oh, and we need another shipment of medical supplies, we're running low on med grade energon and templating."

"You know I can't drop the runs." Copper said shaking his helm. "But I can get you better supplies."

"And keep the Guard away from here." Ratchet added. "They make us all twitchy enough as is. I'm impressed that no one terminated last time after that stunt you pulled."

"That I think I can do." Copper said with a grin. "Of course, you mechs start causing any trouble-"

"We'll stay out of your plating." Ratchet cut in again before giving Copper a dangerous smirk. "Proving we start getting better supplies. And I want that med supplies ASAP." He subspaced a datapad and held it up. "I even have a list of some the supplies we need, organised according to priority. I want it all for next orn."

"I'll do the best I can." Copper replied before walking over to snatch the datapad and waltzing out of the medbay. Ratchet watched him leave before shifting to better see Chrome standing in the doorway of the workshop.

"He really doesn't see you there?" He asked. "Like, at all?"

"Parently not." Chrome mumbled, obviously still half in recharge. "So what, we behave and we get better supplies? Don't tell me he actually expects us to believe that."

"That's what he said." Ratchet said with a shrug. "Guess it doesn't matter, I don't think anyone has plans to start causing trouble. We're all still a little shaken up after Axil and Sterling nearly got shipped out."

"True. But what do you think about Avalon getting kicked off the mountain?" Chrome asked, crossing his arms over his chassis as he leaned against the doorway. "At least for a while. I don't like it. At least before we knew where the mech was and what he wanted. Now he can scheme all he wants and I don't like it."

"I know we haven't see the last of him." Ratchet said with a sigh. "Not the way things played out the last time he was here. We may have some luck but we're not that lucky. Primus hates us too much to give us any kind of a break."

"Got that fraggin right." Chrome grumbled. "But if it lets that upstart spawn of a glitch think he's got an edge on us, well, whatever keeps Copper out of our plating."

"So what, I'm the new liaison?" Ratchet asked with a smirk. "I got to suck up to him and promise all sorts of glittery things?"

Chrome barked a laugh at the face Ratchet made before shaking his helm, still grinning.

"Whatever it takes Ratch." He said before his tone dropped. "Whatever it takes. We don't have the supplies if someone gets hurt like they all seem to be getting. We just don't have the supplies. If it means polishing that gltich's aft for a bit to save one of our mechs' lives, then that's what we have to do. He hates me so if he's willing to work though you, sorry to throw you under the shuttle but we don't have a choice."

"I guess. I just…" Ratchet gusted air from his vents in a sigh as he glanced away. "Yeah I guess whatever it takes to keep the gang going. That's all that matters. I'm willing to play suckup."

"Good mech." Chrome said with a grin as he walked out into the main medbay. "We'd better make Copper a shopping list."

"Already ahead of you." Ratchet said as he subspaced a datapad to hand to the other medic. "I gave him the bare minimum but what else do we need?"

"Talk to Dusty, he'd been venting down my neck cables again for more scaffolding."

"More?!" Ratchet asked in surprise. "Actually, yeah, I guess."

"Oh, and we need a drill bit." Chrome muttered, taking the datapad and scanning over it. "Crazy glitch."

"What? Drillbit? What for?" Ratchet asked in confusion. "What crazy glitch?"

"You been up to the mine yet?" Chrome asked, glancing up to give Ratchet a smirk. "Axil's found himself a project."

"That rusted out pile of rust Sterling dragged up here?! You're kidding me."

Chrome gave Ratchet a one sided shrug.

"It's Axil. He just said he wanted one. I don't know where the pit we're gonna get one but he wants one. And then he walked away muttering about grime buildup in the hydraulic cylinders and lines and that he needed to flush the cooling system without blowing the lines."

"Wow." Ratchet replied with wide optics.

Again Chrome shrugged.

"I'm just glad he's back to normal." He said, handing the datapad back to Ratchet. "That's all I can say."

xxXXxx

Ratchet paused outside the apartment, his servo hovering over the keypad when he heard laughter. A weak spark signature, like it was being muffled somehow, came from inside as well as Focus' stronger signature. He knew Focus would never let a stranger into the place and the other voice he could hear was distinctly a femme's. With a smirk he slid the door open and froze in dumb shock.

"Ratch! You're back." Focus said with a grin, twisting around on the couch to look at his friend. "Jinx showed up a while ago looking for you so I said she could wait here. I comply lost track of time, we were having such a good talk."

Ratchet completely ignored his friend, instead focusing on the slim, attractive femme sitting with her legs nearly crossed on the couch beside Focus. He'd never seen her in his life but there was something dangerously familiar about that smooth gold and grey armor.

"It's been so long since I last saw you Ratchet, I heard a lot has happened to you." The femme said as she gave Ratchet a knowing smile.

Ratchet's spark froze when her brilliant blue optics flashed a poisonous shade of purple before going back to blue.

"Uh, yeah, good to see you too uh… could you- give us a klick?" Ratchet asked nervously, reaching over to grab Focus's arm and drag him to his peds. "I need to talk to my roommate for a klick."

"By all means." Arachnid purred as Ratchet shoved Focus outside and slammed the door.

"Wow! Where did you meet _her!" _Focus demanded with a grin. "She's not even that much older than you. Wait, she's not a pleasure femme or anything is she? Ratchet you scamp-"

"Would you mute it?!" Ratchet hissed, shoving his friend up against the wall opposite the apartment and clapping a servo over his mouth. "Why the_ frag_ did you let her in there?!"

"She said she was looking for you." Focus said, prying Ratchet's servo away from his faceplates. "Course I was a little suspicious but she said that she was friends with you and that she knew Chrome. She said she wanted to talk to you."

"So you let her in?!"

"What's the big deal!" Focus demanded.

"Stay the frag away from her." Ratchet said in a low voice, nervously glancing over his shoulder guard. He dropped his tone even lower, leaning in closer to Focus. "I've never been more serious in my life. That femme, Jinx? is the most dangerous femme you will ever meet in your like, swear on my spark."

"What do you mean." Focus asked, dropping his own voice down as his optics got wide with alarm. "Ratchet who is that?"

"Someone you never want to see again."

"Then why the frag is she looking for you?! What's going on?!" Focus hissed just as quiet. "What is she, some kind of killer?!"

"All I can say is to stay away from her." Ratchet said softly. "Focus I'm begging you."

Focus glanced away, his jaw set.

"I swear I have no idea how she even found out this was where I lived." Ratchet said with a sigh as he finally backed out of Focus' tight EM field.

"Primus Ratchet, some orns I don't know how the frag I'm even still functioning." Focus grumbled dryly.

"Just… wait out here." Ratchet said as he turned back toward the apartment.

"Yeah yeah." Focus muttered, crossing his arms over his chassis as Ratchet walked back into the apartment.

"You didn't have to drag Focus out like that." Arachnid purred as Ratchet closed the door. "We were honestly having a good talk."

"And yet somehow the thought of you two in the same room ends with your claws in his spark and Flatline standing over what's left of him." Ratchet shot back. Arachnid laughed, shaking her helm.

"I will admit, I could get some nice credits out of his hide. He'll have the same upgrades Chrome stripped from your old frame. The old glitch is smart, I have to give him that."

"What do you want." Ratchet demanded, armor flaring slightly.

"What, I'm not allowed to check up on a client?" She asked, examining a razor sharp claw. "It's been a while since you came and visited. The last time I saw you, you were on life support and Chrome was jumpier then a double agent."

The statement made him shudder without realising it and Arachnid chuckled lightly.

"Chrome was _very_ protective of you. I've never seen him act that way before." She continued. "That being said, how's the frame? Chrome thought it would be too big for your spark. I knew it would work and besides, doesn't this frame suit you so much more than that Elite class one?"

Ratchet refused to give an answer but he knew she was right.

"I don't believe that you are here just to check up on me. You could have gone to the 'bay." Ratchet said, still scowling. "And what about Focus. Why bring him into this."

"What about him?" Arachnid asked with a grin.

"Leave him alone."

Arachnid chuckled, once again examine her claws.

"For a moment, that sounded like a threat." She said.

"I'm serious. I know I couldn't stop you but leave him alone. Focus doesn't know anything and he knows he's safer that way." Ratchet said with a low growl.

Arachnid glanced at him again with a smirk before dipping her helm in a nod.

"As long as he keeps his neck out of my business I have no reason to take his helm off." Arachnid said simply. "He seems smart enough not to go poking around."

Again Ratchet didn't say anything but he did hold Arachnid's challenging look. He nearly jumped out of his plating when she abruptly stood up.

"But enough about that. Down to business." She said as she started pacing around Ratchet. "The frame?"

"Works good." Ratchet replied carefully, turning to keep her in sight. "But I'm curious about yourself. That's not your normal armor and I know elite quality when I see it."

Arachnid smirked as she ran an arm down her bracer.

"Even I have to wear a disguise." She said with a shrug, still prowling around Ratchet. It reminded him of how Sandstorm used to stalk him when the tan miner still hated him.

"Do you have contacts in Tarn?" He asked bluntly, pausing to let Arachnid circle around behind him.

"Tarn? It's a factory state. A lot of product come out of that place." Arachnid said after a moment.

"I need to know if a mech made it there." Ratchet said hesitantly. "I need to know if he's still functional."

"A friend?" Arachnid asked with genuine interest and Ratchet smirked.

"I'm surprised you don't know." He said as he huffed air from his vents. "Ripsaw's out of action for a while."

"I heard about that. I didn't realise it was one of your gang that did him in. The Elite Guard has been more careless lately, I was wondering why."

"He was severely damaged when he left Iacon." Ratchet continued. "We're all worried about him."

"I'll see what I can dig up." Arachnid said as she headed toward the door. Ratchet watched her as she slid it open, pausing in the doorway. "Say hi to Chrome for me would you?"

Ratchet gave her a dark look as she grinned, showing off her fangs before she spun around and into the hallway.

"It was a pleasure meeting you Focus." Arachnid purred as she left and Ratchet walked to the doorway in time to see Focus glance away from her.

"Yeah. Sure." He mumbled before glancing up nervously once she had left. He then proceeded to shoot Ratchet a murderous glare, jabbing a digit into his chassis as he stalked back into the room.

"I hate you some orns. You know that?" He growled as he stormed past.

"You have no idea." Ratchet muttered as he followed Focus back inside.

* * *

**So hopefully, the next chapter will be out sooner. I doubt this coming sunday because I am busy all week (grrr...) but I'll do the best that i can. I got my grubby paws on a 45 gallon fish tank so I'm in the processes of getting that set up so my loaches and catfish have more room. **

**I also have a crazy good idea for a fic that i'm dying to kick off along with this one so what ever feels like getting over writer's block first. We'll see what happens. **

**See you all next time!**


	37. Riot

**I'm back people! I LOVE this chapter and i am SOOO glad to finally get it out. My word this feels so good! I feel like when ever i sit down to type my brain goes completely blank. Or I get completely side tracked. Its shark week on discovery :) Plus I almost have my classic car running (79 Lincoln Continental named Jack of Hearts cause he's such a handsome boy though he's as temperamental as a Con) and Ai-kon is coming up so i have to finish cosplay for me and my friend. But, sat down and finished the chapter.  
**

**Really really important, I posted another oneshot a while ago called** _French Perfume_** and for some reason, I didn't get anyone's reviews. So sorry if you reviewed and i didn't respond, i just didn't get it. **

**SummerMistedDragon: Good to see you back. Yeah, It's gotten a bit bigger since hte last version. I'm glad you like it so much. **

**Guest: Sorry it's been so long, lots of stuff happening. **

**Tildawn: Yep :) And poor Focus, he'd so much better in the dark. Yeah, Copper's up to something. Trying the 'enemy of my enemy is my ally' stuff. Too bad the gang ain't dumb or he might actually get away with what ever he's planning. **

**Skyice98: Yeah, and things get even rougher here.**

**AutobotGuy710: Yeah, somehow i doubt he slept that night. Heck, Focus was probably hiding under the couch as well. **

**Child of Jon Snow: Glad you liked it. Sometimes i just get sick of tired of staring at a chapter so i post it and hope for the best. **

* * *

Ratchet kept pace with Chrome as they ran down an alley. Around them, mechs continued to yell and roar as the riot intensified. So far, nobody had noticed the pair running down alleys and bypassing black and white Enforcers as they tried to get out of Iacon and back to the safety of the mine.

Enforcers had ringed them in and they had spent almost a joor constantly dodging roadblocks and armed mechs patrolling alleys and backways. Ratchet knew that they were there to try and keep the riot contained within a few blocks and away from innocent bystanders. All the containment was doing though was whipping the mob into a frenzy.

"I thought this was supposed to be a simple supply run!" Ratchet snarled, skidding to a stop and nearly ramming into Chrome when the medic suddenly stopped in the middle of the alley.

"It was." Chrome snapped, darting down another alley. For someone old enough to be his sire, the mech was fast. "But why the frag would something as simple as a supply run be easy!"

"Yeah good point." Ratchet growled, easily keeping up. A loud bang had both mechs ducking and Ratchet spun around to see a column of light grey smoke float into the air.

"Smoke bomb." Chrome panted as he sagged against the wall, armor flared as his fans worked overtime. "Makes selion act up. Nothing serious usually."

"Usually?" Ratchet demanded in alarm, turning to his mentor as he panted, trying to cool down.

"Least they haven't started shooting." Chrome said with a shrug as he started back down the alley at a slow walk. "Looks like we outran the worst of it. As long as we stay out of sight I think we'll be alright."

"What set them off?" Ratchet asked, glancing back toward the column of smoke. It had been joined by two others and the yelling had died down a little.

"Who knows."

"At least they're dispersing." Ratchet continued. "Primus, I hope nobody got seriously hurt."

"Doesn't sound like it." Chrome replied, pausing a little ways away. "Trust me when I say we'd have hear it. Riots are not fun."

Ratchet didn't reply other than to continue watching the smoke float away. The noise was still going down and Ratchet finally started to relax as it was obvious that the worst was over.

"Think it's safe to try and get out again?" Ratchet asked, still watching the smoke.

"We can try. Some of the roadblocks might be open."

Sharp bangs, followed by unmistakable popping rang out and Ratchet stiffened in alarm.

"Those are gunshots." He whispered to no one in particular as the yelling started up. "They're shooting them!"

"Ratch, come on we got to get out of here!" Chrome ordered, grabbing Ratchet's shoulder guard as he took a step forward. "We can't help anyone if we get shot ourselves!"

Ratchet hesitated and another bang, this one louder and deeper, sent black smoke billowing into the air even as a spark stopping scream rang out.

"We got to help them!" Ratchet cried out, tearing free from Chrome, transforming, and racing toward the slaughter.

"Ratchet!" Chrome yelled after him but he'd had a head start. Reaching a crossroad Ratchet hit the brakes, transforming to look around wildly.

Acidic smoke from grenades burned through his vents even as the unmistakable tang of energon made his tanks churn. Gunshots and screams of pain kept echoing off the buildings and he stayed in the shadows, watching as mechs and Enforcers clashed violently.

He knew he'd be terminated in an instant and he stayed where he was, waiting for a chance to move but his spark continued to twist as he watched Enforcers gun down mechs in the street. Some were fighting back, using blades and whatever they could get their servos on. But most were running, just trying to get away from the carnage. He ducked back into the shadows, his spark pounding in his chassis as an Enforcer suddenly appeared in the entrance, sweeping the area with his rifle. After a moment he left and Ratchet hesitantly ventured closer to the road. It hadn't taken long for Enforcers to sweep the area and anyone still able to move had already disappeared into the alleys and backways.

Refusing to believe that everyone was offline, he walked out into the open, glancing around as he realised just how quiet the street was. The first mech he approached was riddled with plasma rounds and he knew before he'd even run a scan the mech was offline. The second mech was also offline, a horrific wound having destroyed most of his chassis.

With a weak groan, he remained on his kneebolts beside the third grey frame. His spark was tight and it wasn't from the selion. He had always known that Enforcers were effective but this… this was a slaughter. There was no other word for it.

Gun shots rang out, too close for comfort and he stiffened, glancing toward the sound. Slowly getting to his peds he carefully made his way toward the sounds, near desperation to save _someone _from the massacre making him almost careless.

He found the mech soon enough slumped against an alley wall just a few feet away from the road. Energon had pooled under him from the horrible tear in his chassis and Ratchet crouched down beside him. It wasn't until he touched the mech's limp arm that his scanners caught up to him and he realised the mech didn't have a spark signature.

He glanced away, the snarl in his throat choking out with grief as he realised just how helpless he was.

"What in Primus happened to you?" He mumbled quietly, running a scan over the greyed out frame to try and figure out what had caused such a horrific, ugly looking wound.

Someone was suddenly looming over him, reeking of fresh energon and Ratchet jerked back just as a short knife flashed past his helm.

"What did you do to him!" The mech nearly screamed, energon coursing down his side as he used one servo to support himself against the wall and the other to keep a tight grip on the knife.

"Nothing, I'm a medic-" Ratchet started to say before he was dodging backwards again as the mech staggered after him, swinging with that knife.

"Stay away from him!" He screamed, wobbling as his legs threatened to give out as he took another step.

"You're damaged, let me help you." Ratchet tried again, his spark in his throat as spark radiation hit his sensors. The mech snarled, baring short fangs as his optics flashed murderous red.

"Liar!" He yelled before his voice cracked off into static. Suddenly his optics rolled up and he dropped. Ratchet lunged forward, just catching the mech before his weight dragged them both down.

Paint smoked and popped across the mech's chassis as some kind of acid continued to eat away as his internals. Critical spark chamber damage flashed red across Ratchet's vision as he cradled the mech in his lap, unable to do anything to stop the already terminal damage. The mech convulsed, arching off the ground as energon continued to pour out of destroyed lines. A blue-white glow flashed weakly from within the mech's chassis before his spark gave out and he went limp.

A few drops of optical fluid landed on the mech's mangled chassis and Ratchet hissed, dragging a servo across his suddenly wet faceplates. As gently as he could, and mindful of the acid still eating its way through the mech, he gently laid him down beside his friend.

More gunfire rang out and he directed a low snarl toward the sound, slowly standing up.

"**Chrome, where are you?" **Ratchet asked over the comm but all he got was static. "Go figure." He growled. "Nobody can call for help."

For a moment he thought about heading back to the medbay but he knew there had to be other mechs that had a chance of surviving. Maybe not everyone had been shot with that awful weapon. Grinding his jaw till he tasted sparks he started forward again. There had to be others.

Carefully he slunk back toward the alley entrance and peered around the corner. His spark once again jumped into his throat as he saw two other mechs, both offline, in the middle of the street. Energon surrounded both of them and he didn't need to get close to them to know they had the same acid marks.

Moving carefully, he stayed in the shadows as much as possible to try and avoid detection. The gunfire had moved farther away and ducking back into an alley, he ran toward the sound of gunfire and cries of pain farther down the road. The smell of hot metal and energon flooded his senses and made his tanks roll as he saw energon on the ground and splattered against the walls of buildings. He heard someone approaching and quickly ducked into another alley, his spark racing. Nervously he continued down a back lane, glancing around for anyone else. Walking around a corner, he backtracked fast enough he almost tripped over his peds, his vents stalling out for a few nano-klicks. When nobody yelled at him, he hesitantly peered around the corner again, watching as the Enforcer staggered up to the wall.

He was limping badly, energon dripping from ragged claw marks just above his hipbolt. They looked eerily like the ones Sandstorm had given him on a few occasions when he wasn't fast enough getting out of the mech's impressive reach. Course, Sandy had been holding back, only scratching his thin armor.

Whoever dug his claws into that mech had every intention of crippling him.

The Enforcer's hipbolt suddenly collapsed on him and he caught himself against the wall, snarling low under his breath. Ratchet ducked back behind the corner, gritting his denta as he remained pressed against the wall. His coding was demanding for him to do his job but the part that was loyal to Dusty was rebelling at the idea of helping anyone that was shooting mechs just because of their place in society. Someone approaching caught his attention and he froze, unconsciously stalling his vents to listen.

"Well well well, what do we have here." Someone snarled and Ratchet's armor flared as he detected at least three mechs walk into the alley.

"Back off. Both of you. Now."

The Enforcer's voice was unmistakable but he sounded tired.

"Or what Forcer." The first mech sneered. "You're not exactly in a place to be making orders."

"I won't say it again back-"

The mech's voice cut off as metal collided with metal and Ratchet flinched at the sound. His coding kicked him hard and he gritted his denta before flipping his sirens on. The screaming wail echoed in the alley and he heard the mechs curse.

"Come on! Let's get out of here!" He yelled and Ratchet heard them transform and take off. Killing his sirens he hesitantly glanced around the corner. The Enforcer was slowly struggling to get back to his ped, rubbing this throat cables as fresh energon coursed down his side. Ratchet scowled before taking the risk and walking out where the mech could see him.

"You're lucky nobody can tell the difference between an Enforcers' and a medic's siren." He said flatly. The Enforcer snapped around to him, green optics wide in confusion and alarm before he'd pulled a gun and had it level with Ratchet's chassis.

"Who- who-are you." He demanded in a harsh rasp.

"I'm not gonna off' you if that's what you want to know." Ratchet said, slowly lifting his servos to show he was unarmed. "Sadly, harming another goes against my medical coding."

"You're a- a medic?" The Enforcer asked in obvious surprise.

"Apprentice, yes." Ratchet corrected. "But I can fix your hipbolt and your throat. That mech damaged your vocal processor judging by that rasp."

"Why would you-" He winced, rubbing his throat cables again and Ratchet took another step forward.

"Keep talking and you'll have to get it replaced." Ratchet said with a frown, standing his ground despite the gun the mech still held. "Let me put it this way, if I wanted you offline I would have let those mechs finish you off. Would have saved me a guilt trip."

"Alright." He rasped after a moment, nodding as he put the gun away. Ratchet slowly walked up, keeping both his servos loose at his side. He ran a quick scan over the mech and he shivered slightly, glancing away.

"Good news is that it's just a few loose wires." Ratchet said. "Tilt your helm up."

The Enforcer gave him a warning look, his digits twitching before exventing, tilting his helm back to rest against the wall. Gently Ratchet touched the partly crushed cables and mech instantly stiffened.

"Keep tensing up like that and it makes it more difficult." Ratchet said with a huff as he let his servo twist into the right tools to repair the damage.

"This is-"

"Stop talking." Ratchet ordered as he sharply tapped the underside of the mech's jaw. He jerked in surprise, engine revving, but Ratchet ignored him and instead focused on the wires that were coming loose. "I have to reconnect the wires, this might sting."

He quickly reattached the wiring and stepped back, eyeing the mech.

"That better?" He asked as the Enforcer massaged his throat.

"Didn't even feel it." He said in a much stronger voice.

"Sit down and I'll do what I can for your hipbolt." Ratchet said and the mech gave him an odd look of amusement and wariness. "You sure are used to giving orders." He said as he took a seat on a crate.

"I'm also used to being obeyed." Ratchet said with his own look as he subspaced a clean rag to wipe the energon away from the wound. "If I wasn't bossing others around, I'd never get the gang in for checkups."

"About that…" The mech trailed off, wincing again when Ratchet dug at one of the ragged puncture wounds.

"He left a claw in you." Ratchet said offhandedly, holding out the razor sharp shard. "I'm impressed. That would have hurt snapping off. Sandy always put up a hissy fit when he'd snap one."

The mech took it, fiddling with the small piece as Ratchet dug out more grit and worked on finding why his leg had given out. Scans had shown a hydraulic line had been punctured and he clamped it off before carefully repairing it.

"You're a miner."

Ratchet paused before sitting back on his heels to give the mech his own warning look.

"You said you were an apprentice medic."

"Can't I be both?" Ratchet asked back. "A medic and a miner?"

"It doesn't work that way." The mech continued, his gaze locked on the sliver of claw in his servo. "You're educated but that's an MTO frame. That… that doesn't work. Either you falsified your education and are a fraud, or you're hiding here for some reason."

"I nearly terminated." Ratchet said carefully though the mech's question wasn't hostile. "It was the only way to save my life. As for being educated, let's just say the Elite lifestyle didn't sit well with my conscious."

"Why a miner?"

"Why'd you choose to be an Enforcer?" Ratchet countered.

"To stand up for those that can't stand up for themselves." He replied instantly.

Ratchet gave him a knowing look before leaning forward to keep working.

"Oh."

"I trust my gang with more than my life." Ratchet said quietly. "I would do anything to keep them functioning. We're closer than brothers, closer than I could ever understand if I hadn't given up everything."

"We didn't start it." The Enforcer said after a long moment. "I know you probably think we did, it's happened in other places, but we didn't start this. It just…"

He exvented sharply, leaning forward to rest his helm in his servo.

"Everything got out of control so fast. Someone threw a bomb, nobody knows who, only that it was a black mech, and then some trigger happy rookie opened fire. Everything went downhill from there."

"How'd you end up with claws in your side?"

The Enforcer didn't answer and Ratchet stiffened, glancing up at the mech as his EM field flared in aggression.

"They dragged my partner down." He said after a moment before hard optics shot to Ratchet, pinning him in place. "They ripped him apart and tried to do the same to me. I tossed a flash grenade and got out."

"Frag…" Ratchet hissed, dropping the mech's accusing glare and they fell into uncomfortable silence. He worked fast to finish, if only just to get away from the mech that was making his armor crawl but as soon as he welded a patch over the puncture marks the mech's servo latched onto his shoulder guard and kept him from getting to his peds. For a spark stopping moment Ratchet thought he was done for and braced for the hit or shot or whatever. Nothing came and he gave the mech a guarded look.

"I'll admit, I'm hesitant to trust anyone from the working class." He said, watching Ratchet with the same guarded look.

"We're not exactly best friend with your kind either." Ratchet said with a frown, wondering what the mech was getting to.

"Listen…" He trailed off before finally releasing Ratchet. "I can't tell you everything, I barely know what's going on myself, but what I do know is that mechs around here are gonna need a mech like you to watch out for them. Things are getting more violent than I've ever seen."

Ratchet remained where he was as the warning sunk in. What felt like an eternity ago, Alpha Trion had also given him a similar warning.

"I'll keep an optic open." Ratchet said as he finally stood.

"I hope you're right. Take care of yourself and your gang." He said with a small smile. "I owe you. If you ever need anything, ask for Freightroad. I'll do what I can."

"Your word doesn't mean anything to me." Ratchet said bluntly. "But I'm not glitched enough to turn away an opportunity."

He didn't give the mech a chance to respond before he was already walking away, his spark twisting painfully. He didn't even realised he was rubbing his chassis until his servo started to hurt. Dropping his servo, he glanced back to where he had left the Enforcer.

His coding was no longer clamoring at him but in its place, his processor was screaming. He had just helped someone that had shot or arrested dozens of mechs for no reason other than they had the wrong color of optics.

But how was the gang any different? Sandy had admitted to how badly he had wanted to terminate Ratchet. Sterling was just as dangerous when he lost control of that coding. Impactor had a violent streak a mile wide when he got overcharge, even Ironlock had sent Longhaul to the medbay once when he had pushed the normally shy mech over the edge. And what about all the others, all the working caste mechs he didn't know personally. The ones he'd been taught to fear.

They were just as guilty as any of the Enforcers.

Sudden anxiety kicked him in the tanks hard enough he dropped to his kneebolts, his frame shaking. He felt so _confused!_ On one servo, he was doing what he wanted, he was saving lives but at the same time, it was the _wrong life!_

His coding twisted at the same time his tanks did and he shuddered. A life was a life he repeated in his processor. It didn't matter what kind of frame they were in or their optic color, a spark was a spark.

Then why did he feel so _fraggin' guilty!_

He glanced down as his servos still stained with energon and fluids. Grey ash dotted the yellow of his paint and he knew that the rest of his grey frame was probably filthy as well. The more he stared at his servos, the more he felt completely drained. He was here to save lives, I didn't matter who, but he had been too late for so many.

There was a sudden cry and Ratchet stiffened, optics lifting to where the sounds of a fight broke. Judging from the yelling, someone was mad. Slowly he got back to his peds, wondering how many more he would find deactivated.

He snarled, denta bared as he realised what he was thinking. The stress was getting to him. That was all. He was here to do a job and _fraggit_ he'd do it! If he could save even one more spark it would be worth everything.

He took off down the alley, toward the sounds with fresh determination. Even though that Freightroad mech had been decent, he'd seen far too many mechs terminate in the last two joors. It would take more than one experience to change his processor.

A shot rang out and a powerful engine roared. A moment later another two shots and Ratchet slunk forward, his spark hammering in his chassis. Someone was putting up one pit of a fight and if he could get to them, they might survive.

To his shock, the mech's engine roared again and another shot rang out, quickly followed by another two. The mech's engine cut out and he could hear someone swearing violently. A moment later there was another sharp curse and everything went silent.

Almost silent.

A wet sound, like flooded vents, rasped painfully in the near silence and Ratchet didn't even check for Enforcers before he had darted out into the street to the next alley over.

A large mech with heavy armor was crumped against the wall, an energon coated knife still in his grasp. Energon poured from just under half a dozen gunshot wounds and with every weak vent more energon coursed from his damaged frame.

Carful of the knife the mech held, Ratchet crouched down beside him. The mech's vents skipped as dull optics lifted to him and the knife moved.

"Easy, I'm a medic." Ratchet said softly, gaze dropping to the knife blade but it had hardly moved half an inch. The mech started to rasp something before he choked, energon flooding his vents making it impossible for him to cycle air. "Don't talk, your vents are flooded." Ratchet ordered, subspacing his medkit. He nearly jumped out of his armor when the mech suddenly grabbed his arm in a vice like grip.

Ratchet gasped, instinctively trying to break the mech's grasp and was shocked at how strong it was as his razor sharp claws drew energon.

"Shi…" He panted, energon dripping from his lip plates as more energon continued to pour from his damaged frame. "Shift… have… to find…"

He voice cut out as he coughed, choking on more energon as his frame started to shut down and his grip relaxed enough for Ratchet to wrench his arm free. Ratchet pressed him down when he tried to sit up and slid a servo into a gaping wound in the mech's chassis to clamp off a shredded fuel line. Energon was still flooding his vents and his spark was going to drown if he didn't camp off enough lines. He didn't have time to give the mech something for the pain and he didn't dare slow down.

With a snarl, he dug for more lines. The mech desperately needed major surgery and even as spark radiation washed over his sensors, he knew the mech wouldn't survive. If he had another set of servos, Chrome or Focus, or even Sandy again, then the mech stood a chance. But there was just too much energon. The shots were all clustered together and even blind, it would have been impossible to miss something vital. It was through sheer stubbornness he was even still alive.

"M-Medic…"

Ratchet glanced up at the mech's weak rasp.

"I'm here." He said even as his servos continued moving to try and drain the energon from his spark chamber.

"Shift… find shift… please…I'm sorry…"

"No!"

The cry escaped him the moment Ratchet felt the life leave the mech's damaged frame. With a weak snarl he sat back on his heels, only half aware of subspacing a rag to try and get some of the energon off his servos and bracers.

"Find shift…" Ratchet mumbled to himself, glancing around. "Find… Shift…" It had to be a designation. But who. A friend? And where was he? The alley was a dead end, it was blocked off maybe half a block down shipping crates and scrap metal.

"Why did you get yourself cornered…?" Ratchet mumbled, rubbing his arm where the mech's claws had gouged him. "Unless you were guarding something. Someone."

He got to his peds and flared his sensors, searching for another spark signature.

"Anybody there?" He called softly, walking farther into the alley. He was hesitant to run into another knife welding mech crazy with pain. A weak rasp had him darting toward the back where some of the sheet metal formed a kind of shelter against the shipping crates. Carefully he pulled them back, make sure nothing would fall over.

A much younger mech, maybe a metacycle or two younger then him, was slumped against the wall with his arms wrapped around his tanks and for a moment, Ratchet feared he was once again too late.

"Shift?" He asked quietly and the mech's helm snapped up, fear filled optics locking on him. He immediately tried to stand only to stumble and fall, energon pouring past his digits. Ratchet darted over, catching his good arm and easing the mech back to the ground. "Calm down, I'm a medic. You're Shift right?"

"Shiftlane…" The mech panted as Ratchet ran a scan over him.

"Shiftlane? My designation's Ratchet." He said, gently coaxing him to lay on the ground.

"Guard….sh- shooting everyone…I… I didn't do anything…" Shiftlane rasped before convulsing, trying to curl up. "Sire…!"

"Easy, don't move too much. You've lost a lot of energon." Ratchet said, gently shoving the mech back down. His spark twisted as he made the connection between the two.

"He's gone…"

"I'm sorry, I didn't get to him in time." Ratchet said, a weak whine escape his engine. The mech whimpered and Ratchet felt like a knife had been driven into his spark. "He was protecting you."

Shiftlane continued trembling as he went into shock from the shattered bond, his optics losing their glow.

Ratchet nudged his arm out of the way and immediately cursed as energon poured out of the ragged hole in the mech's side and over his servos.

"Put pressure on that for a klick." Ratchet ordered, pulling the medkit from subspace and pulling out a vial of novrin. "I need access to your dataport so I can monitor your vitals. I need to put you in stasis-"

"No!" The mech cried out hysterically, struggling to get away. As weak as he was, Ratchet easily pinned the slim mech in place as more energon poured past his servos.

"Alright alright, stop moving." Ratchet ordered gently. "I kinda figured that but I need that hardline connection."

Shift continued shivering but he managed to nod. Ratchet immediately reached around to the back of his neck and plugged into the base of his helm. A couple medic-only commands and he had the mech's vitals on his HUD. His fuel levels were plummeting and he knew he was leaking internally. Judging from the amount of fluid, it was a primary line.

"I have to get that line, try not to move too much. This will take a bit to kick in." Ratchet ordered as shot the novrin into the mech's damaged side. He immediately dug through the mangled protoform and circuitry, trying to find that vital fluid line. The mech shuddered, vents coming to hard and fast to be healthy as he continued trembling. "Got it."

He clamped the line off and quickly found the other end, fusing the torn line together before removing the clamp. With the worst leak repaired, he subspaced a pouch of energon, inserting the thick needle into the same line before continuing to work. Slowly Shiflane's fuel levels started to rise but he continued to tremble.

"You doing alright?" Ratchet asked, glancing at the semi- conscious mech. He nodded weakly, dim optics flickering on before going dark again. According to his vitals he was still conscious, barely, but stabilising. "I want to put you in stasis." Ratchet said again. "It will slow your systems and allow your self-repair to kick in stronger than if you were online."

"Please…no…" Shiftlane rasped, optics onlineing again and full of fear.

"Your sire terminated protecting you." Ratchet said. "Don't let it be for nothing."

The mech hesitated a moment.

"Trust me on this." Ratchet said, holding the mech's scared gaze. "I'll be here when you online."

Shiftlane nodded and before he could change his mind Ratchet had initiated stasis lock. The mech's optics went dark a moment before he went limp. With the mech finally offline, he was able to pick up the pace without worrying about hurting him. He worked fast to finish up and weld a patch over the gaping wound until he could do a more permanent repair back at the medbay. He was young and he was strong, he'd survive the broken bond if he survived his injuries.

Problem was, getting him out of this warzone.

He needed to find a way out, or better yet, a way to get Chrome.

Something exploded on the road and he ducked, covering Shiftlane's still frame. Coughing harshly, he watched as two mechs came tearing down the road. One skidded to a stop when he saw Ratchet, glancing behind him before back to Ratchet.

"Enforcers!" He panted, red optics full of fear as he glanced over his shoulder guard again. "You got to get out of here! They're sweeping the place!"

Ratchet's gaze dropped down to Shiftlane before he cursed, shooting to his peds and wrenching the sheet metal back into place. Hesitating just a little at leaving him behind, he took off after the other two mechs. He hadn't known Shiftlane was there until he had practically on top of him and he'd been looking for a weak spark. Maybe there was a chance the Enforcers wouldn't find him.

Primus, he didn't know if he could live with himself if they found him.

The mech in the lead took a hard corner, diving into an alley and rapid gunfire filled the air. Ratchet skidded to a stop, knowing the mech was already offline but the other mech took a moment before he realised it as well.

"Come on!" Ratchet yelled, running toward another alley. He risked a backwards glance to see the mech running after him as well as a black mech run from the alley with a rifle slung over his shoulder guard. Black and white caught his attention and he bolted for the safety of the alley just as the three Enforcers broke into a sprint.

Just as Ratchet took a corner, gunfire broke out. Someone shrieked behind him just as his leg exploded with fire. He went down hard, energon flooding his mouth as he bit his glossa without even realising it and scrambled around the corner on all fours. Fire crawled over his leg and a quick glance confirmed that energon was running down his plating even as the paint bubbled and popped. He could already feel the acid working its way into his fuel lines.

The feeling was _far_ too familiar and he forcibly dug his digits into his lower thigh just below the gaping wound, reminding himself that he could still feel his legs and that he wasn't paralysed and trapped underground. Screaming drillers crawled through his processor, threating to throw him into a selion attack as he hyperventilated and started to panic.

"Wait- wait please! Don't-"

The mech's plead was cut off as a gun went off and Ratchet felt his vents lock up.

"Where the Pit did that other one go. Two went in here."

"Yeah, I think I got him."

Ratchet forced his frame to work, scrambling to his peds even as his entire frame threatened to lock up on him. Dragging his leg he moved as fast as he could, energon pouring down his leg as excruciating pain made his helm spin.

"Forget him. We got other work to do. Fragger won't get far without a medic, that's for sure."

Their voices faded and Ratchet couldn't help but smirk at the irony as he slid down the wall. Gritting his denta till he tasted sparks, he once again glanced at his leg and the acid already eating into his circuitry. He'd have to work fast or that acid would hit something vital. After the mess with Axil, he'd started carrying around a bigger medkit that thankfully, had a neutralizing agent in it. Pulling the white powder free, he dumped it into the bubbling mess, biting back another cry of pain as it worked to neutralise the acid. After a few klicks to ensure that the acid wouldn't start up again, he started working on repairing the fluid lines that he could with his servos trembling as bad as they were.

It was too familiar, far too familiar and he could feel the hot vice tighten around his spark.

The circuitry and wiring in his thigh were shot and the hydraulic cylinder in his leg was damaged but wasn't ruptured. Welding a temporary patch over the ugly wound he threw his supplies back in subspace and dragged himself to his peds. As soon as he stood though his vison went black for a moment and he had to support himself on the wall for a moment as energon soaked images flooded his processor.

"Primus, I'm never gonna recharge again…" He snarled quietly before limping heavily along the wall, dragging his leg. He had to get back to Shiftlane. Limping back down the alley, he saw what he had feared.

The mech that had warned him was crumpled on the ground, his frame riddled with acid rounds.

"Murders, nothing but murders." He rasped, struggling to stay upright. He couldn't put any weight on his leg and everything from mid torso to his ankle joint burned. Sheer stubbornness to get back to his patient kept him going despite wanting to curl into a ball and cry his miserable spark out. Every now and then he had to stop as the fire in his leg threatened to send him into stasis.

"Hey!"

Ratchet glanced up at the sudden, harsh yell only to see an Enforcer standing in the middle of the alley, rifle aimed directly at him.

He slowly started to raise his servos before he realised he was streaked with energon. Fresh energon.

He didn't even had a chance to say anything before fire raced over his systems, his vison flooded with warnings, and everything went black.

* * *

**Wow, long chapter considering how long long I stared at this. Like i said, i liked this one. Lots of stuff happens and once again, Ratchet gets himself caught between a rock and a hard place.  
**

**Read and Review! I'm probably gonna disappear again but i already know what i want next chapter. **

**See you next time!**


	38. Helpless

****Sorry been gone, I'm on 2 week plant shut down so I'm traveling. Tomorrow me and dad **are bound for Paris Texas in the semi. Whoohoo! So pumped. **

**Anyways i got to get up early so quick reviews and then I'm crashing for the night.  
**

**Guest: Meh, maybe, maybe not. Depends on you definition of bad. **

**Child of Jon Snow: Shot twice i may add. Poor sap. And yeah, gonna disappear for a bit. I might type but i get car sick. **

**SummerMistedDragon: So glad you liked it. I enjoyed that chapter. **

**Teckna13: I'm back for the moment. :)**

**KayleeChiara: Duh! How else do I ****convince people to come back after i disappear for weeks at a time. That's part of the reason i like this chapter is that people so clearly draw the line of the good guys and the bad guys. I'm deliberately blurring that line as much as possible until Megatron makes his grand entry and then EVERYONE realizes that he's insane. **

**Tildawn: I'm going with glitch :) makes me feel better. I'm glad you liked ****both. **

**AutobotGuy710: Still alive! No, we might see him again. Hope to. **

**Rogue8496: That means so much to me, it really does. Gives me a reason to stare at my screen for hours at a time hoping the writers block will go away. **

**Dkyrus:Ha, glad you enjoy it that much. And now, another chapter. **

* * *

Something colliding with his thigh brought him out of stasis with a shriek of pain, curling up as he dug his digits into his kneebolt. His denta clenched tight enough his jaw ached, he heard a door slam shut and someone walk away.

With a pained whimper he sat up only to instantly regret it as his leg reminded him that he'd been shot. Cursing hard enough to make Chrome proud, he glanced at the patch that had cracked open. There was a burning deep in the wound and he knew that he hadn't neutralised all the acid. As soon as he realised it, more warnings popped up on his HUD about shorted out circuitry and a hard hit to his helm, probably when he collapsed. Would explain the throbbing in his processor and neck. It didn't take long to figure out from the warnings that it had been an EMP blast that had knocked him out.

When he tried to get his medkit, he nearly panicked right then and there when he got an error message. The pounding in his helm intensified and hesitantly he dragged a servo down the back of his helm, terrified of what he would find.

His servo caught on the mangled edge of torn armor and cut wires.

Someone had torn the armor over his dataport and subspace controls off and cut the wiring. His subspace wasn't locked, it was non-existent. Chrome would have to rewire the controls from scratch.

"They rip the back of your helm out as well?"

Ratchet glanced up at the mech's voice to see a mech sitting on the low berth, legs stretched out in front of him and crossed at the ankle joints.

"Yeah. That normal?" He asked, examining his leg. Hopefully the patch would hold till Chrome could repair it and the acid wouldn't damage anything to serious.

"Yeah. Doesn't help that it looks like you ripped someone's spark out with your bare servos." The mech said with a smirk, deliberately dropping his gaze to Ratchet's servos.

Ratchet winced, glancing down at his stained servos and bracers. And then it hit him.

"Shiftlane!"

He shot to his peds, forgetting about his leg for a nano-klick until it reminded him with a vengeance. With another pained gasp he clapped a servo over the wound, nearly falling into the bars as he clung to them with his free servo.

"Shiftlane? Who's that." The mech asked as Ratchet swore viciously under his breath and stars danced across his vision.

"I had to leave him behind." He replied quietly, optics drifting to the side. "He'd been shot and I had to leave him behind to lead Enforcers away from him. Fraggit I don't know if he's still online. Where are we?"

"Where do you think? Stockade." The mech said, gesturing toward the other cells with a shrug.

"How long." Ratchet demanded, a bit more panic in his voice then he was willing to admit.

"Who knows." The mech said with a shrug, glancing away. "Some mechs are here rusting for groons before they get out."

"What?!"

"Keep your voice down." The mech snapped, glaring at Ratchet. "Rusting in here is one thing, giving the 'Forcers an excuse to have at you is another."

Ratchet snarled, releasing the bars to scratch at the dried energon on his servos.

"They have to let me out." He growled. "Mechs are injured everywhere, I can help them."

"Doubt they'll let you." The mech muttered quietly and Ratchet glanced back at him, his spark twisting as he realised that the mech was probably right. But worse, _he_ was right.

To his right someone was cradling what he thought was a busted arm to their chassis. Across from him the mech was dripping energon from a shallow gash on his leg. Diagonal to him, the mech was sitting against the bars, the back of his helm wet with fresh energon and dripping down his neck and shoulder guards.

"When were the guards here last?" Ratchet demanded, glancing back at the mech.

"Joor or two ago?" He replied. "They come and take mechs. Sometimes they come back but most of the time they don't."

"I need to talk to one of them." Ratchet said.

"What! What for!"

"Half the mechs in here need a medic, him most of all!" Ratchet said, jabbing a digit toward the mech with the helm wound.

Just then a door banged open and the hostility in the room skyrocketed as various powerful engines rumbled in warning. Ratchet remained where he was to see what was going to happen, gripping the bars to keep his balance.

He was shocked and slightly horrified when three guards, one with a rifle, approached the cell diagonal to him.

One of the Enforcers, a mech with thick armor and a heavy frame like himself, shoved the mech with his ped, nearly making him fall over.

"Get up." He ordered, standing over the mech. He weakly shifted, a servo moving to grab a bar and drag himself up the cell wall.

As soon as Ratchet saw his unfocused optics he knew the mech was in serious trouble.

"Hey where are you taking him!" Ratchet yelled, gripping the bars tighter as his own leg threatened to give out.

"None of your business Bait." The mech with the rifle growled. Ratchet snarled in response, his armor flaring in aggression. The mech was nigger them him but he didn't care. That mech needed a medic.

"He needs a medic! That hit could be fatal if left untreated!" Ratchet objected as they shoved him out of the cell, despite the fact he could barely walk. "You're gonna get him terminated!"

"He'll be fine." The Enforcer growled, shoving the injured mech forward hard enough he stumbled into another cell wall.

"I'm a medic fraggit! I can tell from here he's got serious damage, possibly processor deep!" Ratchet insisted. "Take me with!"

"Are you insane?!" The mech sharing his cell hissed in shock.

"He can hardly walk." Ratchet continued. "Take us both."

"Not gonna happen." The Enforcer sneered before turning away, shoving the mech forward.

"Where's Freightroad." Ratchet demanded and the Enforcer that had yet to speak stiffened before turning to Ratchet with guarded optics.

"What do you want with him." He demanded.

"I need to talk to him." Ratchet said firmly, holding his ground as the mech walked up.

"Who's asking."

"He'll know." Ratchet said, watching the mech.

"Breaker come on!" The loud mouth with the gun called. The mech abruptly turned away, following the other Enforcers out.

But Ratchet saw him place a servo on the damaged mech's shoulder guard to stable him.

"Did that acid effect your processor?!" His cellmate hissed in a loud whisper. "You spawn of a glitch!"

"That helm wound will terminate him." Ratchet said lowly. "Too many mechs have already terminated, I'm doing what I have to."

"And what about the rest of us! You think they're gonna go easy on us just because you called in a favor?!" He demanded.

Ratchet didn't respond but gripped the bars tighter, listening for the door. He could feel the mech's accusing glare burning though his plating just as badly as the acid and he nearly collapsed in relief when he heard the door. The Enforcer from before walked over with a scowl, a pair of stasis cuffs dangling from one servo. Ratchet felt his armor flare slightly at the cuffs. His balance was already fried from the EMP blast and his leg, the last thing he wanted was those cuffs keeping him from being able to catch himself if he fell.

He couldn't help but wince when the cuffs snapped around his wrist joints, shorting out the circuitry in his arms from the elbow joints down. The mech opened the cell door and Ratchet limped out, waiting for the mech to close the door before following him out of the stockade.

It took a moment for his optics to adjust to the brighter light outside of the cells and his leg was starting to hurt again as they walked down a hallway.

"For Primus sake Fix I'm fine!" A familiar voice protested as Ratchet was directed toward an open door. "It doesn't even hurt! Swear to Primus!"

"Then who fixed it! You don't expect me to believe some gutter scrap off the street just _happened_ to stumble upon your damaged aft and just _happened _to not want you terminated and just _happened_ to know how to repair the damage and did it in some dingy alley?!"

"I told you he never told me his designation. And yes, that's exactly what happened!"

Ratchet walked into the office to see the familiar black and white Enforcer standing off to the side as another slim mech with the same black and white paint scheme as all the others proceeded to scan every inch of his large frame.

"Sir?" The Enforcer behind him asked softly, tapping on the door frame.

"One klick." Freightroad said, leaning around the slim mech to look at them. His gaze landed on Ratchet for a nano-klick before he glanced away again. Ratchet took a quick glance around the sparsely furnished office and when he looked back toward the pair of Enforcers, his spark skipped a beat.

The slim mech was staring at him with white- green optics.

Ratchet froze in the doorway, not sure what to make of those nearly colorless optics as they swept over every inch of his frame. Whereas Sterling's were dangerous and promised a large amount of pain, the slim mech seemed to be figuring out how the best way to dissect him and not make a mess.

"Did you do those welds?" He demanded, jabbing a digit toward Freightroad.

"Yes." Ratchet replied, holding his ground despite wanting to squirm under the slim Enforcer's glare. The mech suddenly turned away, facing Freightroad.

"You are serious." He deadpanned.

Freightroad gave an exaggerated shrug, arms wide in a 'what am I supposed to say' look.

The Enforcer turned back to Ratchet, still examining him and Ratchet stiffened as he took his limp servos in his own, turning them over. It was like he was looking for something and Ratchet didn't know what. It was making him even more uneasy and knowing that two mechs were on the verge of terminating was making his coding twist.

"These cuffs are going to ruin your servos." The mech suddenly growled, unlocking the cuffs. "You can't build servos like that."

Power surged back through his numb arms and Ratchet sighed, relaxing as feeling returned to his digits and he flexed them. He grabbed the doorframe when a servo slammed down on his shoulder guard, nearly making his leg collapse under the force and he gritted his denta to keep from crying out.

"What?! Are you insane?!" The mech behind Ratchet demanded as his servo dug into Ratchet's shoulder guard.

"Let him go, he won't do anything." The slim Enforcer ordered. "He's a medic."

"Like frag he is." The mech immediately objected.

"Breaker, enough." Freightroad interrupted. "We can handle if from here."

The mech hesitated for just a moment but then his servo was gone and Ratchet straightened slightly. He turned to watch as the mech left before refocusing on the slim mech.

"How did you get your degree?" The still unnamed mech asked, his optics suddenly a soft green. "You're looking me in the optics but you're not challenging me. You didn't start off as working caste. Maybe from the middle classes but there's something about you that I can't figure out."

"I noticed it right aways as well." Freightroad said, crossing his arms over his chassis as he leaned against the desk. "He's bossy too. Reminds me a bit too much of you when you get in a mood."

The slim mech shot Freightroad a look before refocusing on Ratchet.

"My sire sponsored me." Ratchet replied. "When he found out what I wanted to do with my skills, treating the mechs that don't have access to medical aid instead of the Elite, he withdrew his support."

"You're twitching." The slim mech said abruptly, cocking his helm as his optics suddenly sharpened. "Why are you nervous? Well, even more nervous than mechs usually are."

"One of the miners your Enforcers took away has a serious helm wound." Ratchet said carefully, watching as the mech's optics pale a shade.

"Symptoms?" He asked.

"Optics unfocused, poor balance, judging from the energon that was covering his back and shoulder guards, extreme energon loss-" Ratchet said.

"Why the frag wasn't I told!" The mech demanded, optics going white with anger again as he spun around to Freightroad.

"Because I didn't know anyone had been seriously injured." Freightroad said in a low tone, his armor flaring slightly.

"I'll bet you it was that glitch Speedbrawl." The mech snarled before turning back to Ratchet. "Tall bulky mech with a big mouth."

"That's him." Ratchet said with a scowl.

"I swear to Primus Freightroad, do something about that glitch or I will." The mech spat before stalking past Ratchet, his armor bristling.

"Sir?" Ratchet called after him and the mech turned to him. "How did you know I was a medic?"

"Anyone can have sensors and tools installed in a frame but only a real medic knows how to use them. Your servos gave you away." He said with a smirk before turning and stalking down the hall.

"Close the door." Freightroad said and Ratchet slid the door shut behind him. "I didn't think I'd see you again so soon."

"Things happened." Ratchet said, feeling the tension in the room rise. "I need that favor. I need to call someone."

"Why." Freightroad asked. "I could lose my job for letting you contact someone."

"I was working on a mech that had been shot. I had to leave him behind and then I got hit with an EMP blast." Ratchet said, his armor tight against his frame.

"Why did you leave him in the first place." Freightroad asked.

"Because Enforcers were sweeping the area. The two mechs that warned me were both terminated." Ratchet said. "I tried to go back to him but I got shot before I could reach him."

"I can't let you call someone-"

"He will terminate!" Ratchet cut in, louder than he intended. "He's in stasis lock, he won't online unless a medic brings him out of it."

Freightroad dropped his gaze, glancing off to the side.

"Who would you call." He asked quietly.

"My roommate. He's also a medic and he's the closest." Ratchet replied instantly.

"How do I know you're not lying." He asked, glancing back at Ratchet.

"You don't."

"Got that right." Freightroad grumbled. "Doing this goes against every regulation in the book."

"I saw eight working class mechs terminated while I was there, and who knows how many others from both sides." Ratchet continued. "Don't make that number any higher."

Freightroad glanced at him before sighing and reaching for something on the desk.

"I will _not_ repair your comm." He said with a scowl. "But you can use the hardline. I have a secure line so it will only be accessible from this office."

"I don't care. I just need to call him." Ratchet said, walking over. The mech gestured toward the small box and Ratchet wasted no time plugging into it and opening the comm.

**"Heeey Ratchet. Long-time no hear." **Focus's voice came over the comm heavy with sarcasm. **"So you'll never guess who I talked to today. Chrome commed me. He was wondering if you made it home by chance. I said that no, you hadn't to which he cursed, and then told me to him know if I heard anything from you. So now I'm just wondering whether or not I _should be freaking out!"_**

"Focus I'm sorry, I'll explain everything-" Ratchet tried to cut in.

**"Where the fraggin' pit are you?! Ratchet you aft I swear to Primus I'm going to pull a Chrome and beat you over the helm with a wrench!"**

"I'm serious, listen to me." Ratchet cut in. "I need you to check something."

**"You're sanity?"**

"A mech could terminate Focus, you can give me slag later!" Ratchet snapped.

**"What? Ratchet, what the frag is going on."** Focus demanded, the sarcasm gone and his voice thick with worry. **"Where are you."**

"Doesn't matter. I was working on a mech and I had to leave him behind. He's in stasis lock I need you to bring him to Chrome. He'll still need surgery I could only do so much by myself."

**"What happened that you had to leave a patient behind?! What the frag kind of stunt did you pull this time?!"**

"Trust me, you don't want to know." Ratchet said with a smirk even though he couldn't see it. "Trust me on that."

**"Alright. Where is he." **Focus asked after a moment.

Ratchet just about told him but then remembered the Enforcer hovering just a few feet away.

"Nothing leaves this office." He replied, refusing to look at Ratchet.

**"Office? What! Who's there! What's going on?!"**

"Focus, calm down. I'm fine."

**"Yeah well you and I have two totally different versions of 'fine'. **

"I'm fine. Honest." Ratchet said with a sigh.

**"Are you safe."**

Ratchet didn't reply right aways.

**"I knew it! Ratchet you _glitch!_ Forget Chrome, I'm gonna murder you myself!"**

"I'm fine! I'm not in danger, swear on my spark."

The comm went silent again and Ratchet could hear the glare the mech was no doubt giving him.

"He's in an alley, just a few blocks away from that bar I was telling you about." Ratchet said after moment. "Where we all got completely overcharged?"

**"Yeah yeah. I'll go find him." **Focus grumbled. **"Was he stable enough to move?"**

"Yes. Last I saw him he was stable. But that was… that was a long time ago. I don't know how long it's been." Ratchet said with a wince.

**"What do you mean you- ya know what. Forget it. Talk to you later."**

The comm snapped shut with a pop and both Ratchet and Freightroad winced at the feedback.

"That sounded like a normal reaction." Freightroad said with a frown as Ratchet unplugged from the comm box. "What the frag kind of stunt did you pull this time? That sounds like you getting yourself into trouble is common."

"Yeah, it's getting pretty typical." He said with a wince.

"Not one for thinking things through are you."

"I do kinda tend to wing it." Ratchet said, watching the Enforcer nervously. The mech was still watching him with unreadable expression before he abruptly stiffened, glancing toward the door.

"We're even." He said quietly. Ratchet nodded just as the door slid open and a short, stocky mech walked in.

"There a reason you're interrogating mechs without my permission." The mech demanded.

"Give it a rest Circuit, Quickfix needed to yell at him as well." Freightroad said with a scowl as his armor flare just enough Ratchet thought he was imagining things.

"Why's he not cuffed." Circuit demanded, blue optics shooting toward Ratchet with instant hostility.

"Because Fix said it had something to do with his sensors. Ruining his servos." Freightroad replied. "Talk to him. He's going and taking a strip off of Speedbrawl."

"Why. What's his problem now." He demanded.

"Apparently Speedbrawl never reported a serious injury." Freightroad said and this time his armor did flare. "Again."

"Wouldn't worry about it." Circuit said, curling his lip plate in a sneer. Ratchet was about to object when Freightroad shot him a dark look, shaking his helm. He settled for glaring at the other Enforcer. "You. Come with me."

Ratchet stiffened at the demand but knew better than to argue. The last thing he wanted was to get shot again.

"Servos out." Circuit ordered, subspaced a pair of stasis cuffs.

"With all respect, _sir._" Freightroad said, darting a servo out to catch Ratchet's arm before Circuit could slap the cuffs on. "Quickfix's orders. He's not to be cuffed. The mech's in a mood and I for one don't feel like getting an entire system flush. Again."

Ratchet gave the mech a smirk, finding it amusing that despite the differences, threats were universal.

"Fine." He growled before locking optics on Ratchet and jerking his helm toward the hallway. "Start walking. Try anything and I'll put you down faster than you think possible."

Ratchet scowled at him but did as ordered, still imping heavily. Now that he knew Shiftlane would be alright, his leg had started throbbing again. By the time Circuit shoved him into another room, he could barely stand and practically collapsed into the chair. It was an interrogation room and other then the chair he was in, there was a table in the middle with another chair across from him. Circuit slid into that chair, blue optics watching him suspiciously as he tossed down a datapad onto the table.

"Let's get started shall we?" He said with a grin that set Ratchet's armor on edge.

ooOOoo

Ratchet gave the Enforcer a murderous glare as he was roughly shoved back into the cell. The door slammed and soon as he had turned away Ratchet snarled, denta bared as his temper continued to fray. His leg had started to throb again and he was ready to pull a Sandstorm and rip someone's throat cables out.

"No proof." He spat, servos fisting at his side as the sudden urge to throw something crossed his processor. "No proof my aft! I got all the fraggin proof I need. I got it all over my servos!"

He didn't get a response and in slight confusion he turned to his cellmate.

The mech was slumped against the wall, his helm resting against his chassis like he was in recharge. Ratchet felt his armor flare as he limped over to the mech, once again wishing his sensors were working.

"Hey, you alright?" Ratchet asked, crouching down beside the mech. Some part of his processor was screaming at him that something was wrong. It was that same feeling when he saw the terminated mech with the awful acid wound.

"He didn't come back conscious." Someone spoke up and Ratchet glanced up at the mech with the busted arm. It had been reset as some point and the mech had it cradled against his chassis.

"What do you mean." Ratchet demanded.

"They dragged him back here unconscious." He continued. "That was fifteen klicks ago."

"Frag." Ratchet hissed, gently easing the mech flat onto the ground. As soon as he did he saw the drops of energon against the wall and a few spots down his side, just under the edges of his armor. "Oh no…"

He quickly found the catches on the mech's armor and gently removed it, only to curse when he saw the bruising and shallow gashes covering the mech's chassis.

"These are fresh." Ratchet mumbled to himself. "This was done here."

"What!" The mech demanded, gripping the bars between them with his good servo.

"This was done here." Ratchet repeated before snarling a low curse at the mech that had shot him and rendered his scanners non-functional. But despite not having his scanners, he wasn't completely helpless.

He knew the sound of constricted vents when he heard it. No wonder he had thought the mech had been in recharge, his vents were far too shallow. If his frame was like the others in the gang, then something had collapsed, possibly one of those cylinders that helped take the pressure off their vents. If he'd been kicked it could collapse a cylinder. Especially since it was obvious they'd stripped him of his armor before beating him.

Problem was, if a line had been torn, like his mistake all those metacycles ago the first time he'd gone underground, he would be leaking internally and the fluid loss would also be constricting his vents not to mention putting pressure on the rest of his systems.

And more so, he had no way of getting to whatever was damaged. All his tools were locked in subspace. Helplessness settled in his tanks like lead. It was happening all over again and he ground his denta till he tasted sparks.

He wasn't going to lose another. Not a chance.

"I need a knife." Ratchet said abruptly, glancing up at the mech in the other cell. He gave Ratchet a wide optics look.

"Are you kidding me?" He demanded. "They tore out our subspace. Where do you think you're gonna get a knife?"

"I need one. His vents are constricted to the point he's overheating. It's either a collapsed cylinder or a severed fluid line and I need to get inside to find out. I can't access any of my tools." Ratchet explained. "It needs to be small, smaller the better with a straight edge. Serrated will tear him apart."

"I have one." Someone said and Ratchet straightened, glancing around for the speaker.

"Get it over here." He ordered. He nearly jumped out of his armor when a small knife suddenly collided with the wall just off to the side and clattered to the floor a few feet away.

"I would like that back. It's easy to hide." A mech replied, crossing lanky arms over a narrow chassis.

"I'll try." Ratchet said, grabbing the knife. "No promises."

"You're Dusty's gang ain't you?" He asked abruptly, cocking his helm to the side. "Chrome's apprentice."

"Who's asking?" Ratchet asked with a wiry smirk even as his spark missed a beat.

"Heard a lot about you." He said with a shrug, glancing away again. He snorted and glanced back at Ratchet with a grin. "A _lot_ about you."

Ratchet waited for him to continue but when it was obvious he wasn't going to say anything, he glanced down at the knife. It was clean for something not sanitized and just looking at it Ratchet knew it was razor sharp. Carefully he gripped the knife by the blade as it was nearly as long as his servo and far too big and made the first incision. The knife was sharp and easily cut through the mech's protoform. It didn't take long to realise that one of the pistons in the mech's side had been snapped, no doubt from a violent kick to the side. It had collapsed inward, ripping deeper into the mech's internals every time he moved.

"What's wrong." The mech beside him asked.

"His insides are all ripped up." Ratchet said quietly before swearing under his breath. He _needed_ his tools! "Something's wrong that he's not losing energon. Something's been blocked."

"Can you repair him?" The mech asked. Ratchet didn't reply, not trusting his own voice as he tried to tie off as many fluid lines as possible. His servos were too big though and the lines were not meant to be tied off. Some he just couldn't get and he had to hope that they would seal themselves. His vents were deeper now but he was starting to loose energon again as the pressure on his vents was relieved.

A deafening road suddenly shook the walls and he jerked back, nearly dropping the knife as everyone shot to their peds, their attention on the door.

There was the sound of a hard scuffle, a crash, yet another snarl, and then silence.

"The frag was that." Someone demanded in the sudden dead silence.

"Sounded like they caught a fragging Teraxian." Someone muttered.

"Yeah, the predacon kind." A third growled. A shudder seemed to run though the room and even Ratchet felt his armor clamp tight against his frame. The canine up at Sterling's place was nothing compared to the predacons of Teraxius.

The cells were silent for another few klicks and Ratchet was positive that someone had been terminated. He was about to turn back to the mech when the door banged open. Ratchet immediately dropped the knife beside the mech to hide it, straightening to watch who came in.

To his horror, it was two Enforcers marching a third mech down the hall. Rotor blades clicked quietly from the mech's back and from every step he took with those razor sharp ped claws. The aerial looked far too smug for anyone's comfort and Ratchet knew that someone would be seeing a medic if they were still functional.

His spark stopped when they stopped directly in front of his cell and he couldn't help but feel the panic work its way through his frame as they unlocked the door.

They shoved the aerial in, his servos still cuffed behind his back and as they locked the cell, he suddenly threw his impressive mass against the door. Everyone jumped at the crash and the mech threw his helm back with a laugh, fangs bared.

"Cowards." He scoffed, grinning at the pair as they gave him a murderous glare and left. With his servos cuffed, he couldn't flare those deadly rotor blades but that fact did little to calm Ratchet down. If a hard kick caught him right, those ped claws would rip him open.

"Looks like we're gonna be roommates for a while." The aerial said as he glanced at Ratchet with burning red optics. They suddenly brightened and his grin got bigger as he turned to fully face Ratchet in the suddenly far too small cell.

"Ratchet." He said, dragging out his designation so that it was almost a purr. "It's been a long time."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Ratchet bluffed, hoping to Primus somehow the mech would believe him.

"Ah, still trying to save terminated frames?" Vortex asked, glancing down at the injured mech beside Ratchet before giving him a knowing smirk. "Pity my servos are tied or I would give you a hand."

Ratchet snarled, armor flaring in a warning as he slid over a step, placing himself between the surprised aerial and the damaged mech.

"Stay away from him." Ratchet spat. "He still has a chance."

Vortex chuckled, a harsh sound like claws on metal and Ratchet's armor stood on end, this time in fear.

"You've gotten a spinal support. I'm impressed." Vortex purred, watching Ratchet out of the corner of his optics. "You're not the sniveling royal you were before."

The mech had his shoulder guard down and before Ratchet knew what was happening, the mech slammed into him, crushing him up against the wall with his shoulder guard and sheer size.

"But a word of advice Royal." Vortex hissed in his audio, straighten so that his angular armor and own weight dragged Ratchet off the ground. "Don't even try to stop me. I can gut you here and now with that knife you've gotten hidden behind his worthless frame. Might as well save him the pain and use it on him."

Vortex suddenly backed off and Ratchet dropped back to the ground, jarring his leg. He caught himself on the wall before it gave out and gave Vortex a guarded look.

"Sandy says hi." He said before stalking toward the cell door and started pacing the front like a caged beast.

It took a moment for Ratchet to realise what the mech was talking about and when he did, he let out a frame deep sigh of relief. It was like a massive weight had been taken off his chassis, knowing Sandstorm was still functional. He still didn't know what kind of condition he was in and there was no way in pit he was asking the aerial. He'd have to be content that the Elite Guard hadn't caught him crossing the border.

His leg started throbbing again and he finally sank down to the ground, sitting beside the mech and rested his servo on the incision he had made. It was still leaking energon but slowly and there was nothing he could do. But with his servo on the mech's chassis he could still feel his spark beating slowly and the steady stream of too warm air flowing from his vents.

Primus he needed his medkit. He didn't even know if the mech would survive the night. He had no idea how deep the internal damage went.

With fresh energon on his processor and servos he didn't even realise how exhausted he was until he started to drift off.

The last thing he remembered was seeing Vortex turn to him with a predatory grin and that Chrome was going to strip him for parts for getting arrested.

* * *

**See you all next time! I'm Texas bound! To quote a TFPrime Ratchet high on syth-en, Hoo-Ra!**

**Read and Review! Love you guys!**


	39. Sorry

**Yes! Two weeks in a row! Yeah, doubt that's going to happen for the next week. Oh well. I'm going camping this week so maybe I'll have time to type next week. I hope. **

**Anyways! Sorry for any errors, i saw the last one was ATROCIOUS but i went back and think i got most of them all... third time around... so, heh, sorry if this one is as ugly as the last.**

**DawnfireJazz: Yeah, he's good at getting in trouble. **

**Rogue8496: Yep. Again...**

**SummerMistedDragon: I'm so glad you liked it. i wasn't sure what to make of the chapter just because i felt so rushed ot get at least something out before i left for two weeks. Heck, i didn't plan on getting this chapter done.**

**Child of Jon Snow: Yep, Sandy made it. and i only get carsick if i read. Or a bug the size of my fist explodes on the windshield... EWWWW on SO many different levels.**

**AutobotGuy710: Glad you liked it, and yes, i had a blast. Even got some typing done. Kinda impressed with myself. **

* * *

Ratchet jolted online before shaking his helm as recharge kept his systems slow. He dragged his servo down his faceplates, the previous orn coming back to him in a rush. He dropped his servo to the ground again and then stiffened when he realised that the metal was cold.

Glancing down, he spat a curse and lurched to his peds only to gasp as his leg suddenly collapsed on him, warm pressure building behind the damaged patch. Fluid dripped down his leg before the pressure cracked the patch open even more and it continued to run down his leg. Pressing a servo against his leg, he glanced at his servo to see it covered in clear hydraulic fluid. The acid had ruptured the cylinder in his leg.

The fact his leg was complexly useless meant little to him as he frantically scanned the cell. Other than the massive form of Vortex sitting against the corner, his servos still cuffed behind his back, the cell was empty. All that was left of the mech was a puddle of energon.

At his sudden curse Vortex jerked, a harsh snarl coming from his engine as the rotors on his back flared as much as his cuffed arms would allow them. He gave Ratchet a smolder glare as he stretched his double jointed legs, the razor sharp claws on his peds shining in the poor light.

"Not smart medic." He growled, fluffing his armor and settling against the bars again. "I've had a few long nights. I value my recharge."

"You spawn of a glitch, what did you do to him!" Ratchet demanded, supporting himself on the wall and keeping his bad leg toward the wall.

"Do to who." He asked, shifting again to glance at Ratchet with a half open optic.

"You know who. The damaged mech."

"I didn't off' him." Vortex said flatly, optics flashing dangerously as gave Ratchet his full attention. "He was offline when the guards came."

"What?!"

"You're not as good as you think you are royal." Vortex said with a fanged grin, settling back into the corner.

Ratchet gawked at him in dumb shock before dropping his gaze, shaking his helm.

"No. No he was stable he was…" He trailed off, still shaking his helm as his frame trembled. "He was alright. How could he have…?"

He'd missed something. He'd missed something and it had to have cost the mech his life. He's made another fatal mistake.

"Pity." Vortex said with soft chuckle. "Trying so hard to save a life only to have it slip away when your back was turned." He gave Ratchet another smirk. "Just like that royal you stripped."

Ratchet nearly double over as it felt like a sucker punch to the tanks.

That hadn't- it wasn't- wasn't his fault. He'd- it was to save Chrome- He'd terminated the mech-

"No." He hissed, gritting his denta. "No. You terminated him. You murdered him."

"You're as guilty as I am." Vortex said, slowly getting to his peds and looming over Ratchet even from the other side of the cell. "You cut into him too."

It was then that Ratchet realised the knife he'd used was gone. Vortex's presence had shaken him badly and he'd forgotten about it.

"Looking for something?" Vortex asked with a vicious hiss, suddenly bringing his servos to his sides, the knife held loosely in his right.

"How did you get free." Ratchet demanded as his spark jumped into his throat. Vortex shrugged, spinning the small blade in a large, razor sharp clawed servo. The blade had been large for what he had needed but in Vortex's servos, the blade was tiny.

Ratchet straightened as Vortex took an easy step toward him.

"You know too much about our business." Vortex said as he easily slid the knife up under his heavy bracer. His gaze suddenly locked on Ratchet with the intensity of a predacon and his rotors flared wide, completely blocking the cell. "You talked to the Enforcers."

"It had nothing to do with you." Ratchet said, trying to sound braver then he felt. "I had to leave a mech behind I had to make sure someone would find him."

"Aw. Pity." Vortex crooned softly with fake concern. "One more gutter scrap terminated. Was his frame at least worth something? I'll pick him up when I get out."

"You're sick!" Ratchet spat, anger flaring his armor.

"No. I'm loyal." Vortex countered before he was moving.

Ratchet had always though it insane how Carbon moved. The mech was far faster and quieter than a mech his size should be. He'd seen the mech move when he'd gotten into a friendly scuffle with Sterling so the pair of them could burn off some much needed energy. When Impactor had joined the fight, Carbon had proceeded to beat the two into the dust.

The black mech had nothing on Vortex's sheer power and force. His claws were suddenly in Ratchet's chassis, puncturing his thick armor like it was tin and easily wrenching him up against the wall and off the ground.

With a pained cry Ratchet grabbed the mech's wrist, trying to take pressure off his chassis as the mech's claws dug deeper into his protoform. Vortex's free servo was suddenly reaching for one of his rotor blade, easily disconnecting it and resting the tip just under his jaw, forcing him to look up past the much bigger mech.

"You're a threat." He hissed quietly. "I don't like threats."

The blade was suddenly moving, pressing hard against his throat and he choked as he felt it slice open fluid lines.

A wave of hot pain rolled over his frame even as Vortex suddenly arched with a shriek of pain and collapsed. Ratchet fell, his leg collapsing under him as sparks danced over his frame and he curled against the wall in pain.

"Ratchet!"

The EMP blast had caught Vortex square in the back and while those rotor blades weren't as sensitive as a seeker's sensor riddled wings, they were sensitive enough that the shot had floored him. He'd been hit a glancing blow as the EMP blast shot through them both, leaving his processor badly scrambled as he tried to figure out what in pit had happened.

Someone suddenly grabbed his arm and he jerked away in alarm.

"Ratch, it's me!" A mech's voice repeated and Ratchet forced his optics to focus on grey faceplates as a clean rag was pressed to the shallow gash under his jaw.

"Dusty?" He rasped weakly as he recognised the faded red mech.

"He functional?" Another mech asked and Dusty growled an affirmative before turning back to Ratchet.

"Bout time we tracked you down." He said quietly. "Chrome's ready to blow a fuse but he won't leave your mech."

"Shiftlane? You found him?" Ratchet asked, sitting up and wincing as more sparks rippled over his frame.

"Yes. Chrome says he's fine." Dusty continued before giving Ratchet a once over. "You look awful."

"I feel awful." Ratchet confessed, glancing down at the gouge marks on his chassis.

"What happened." He asked, gesturing to the ugly wound on his thigh.

"Acid round." Ratchet replied. "Just grazed me."

"We've had way too much experience with acid." Dusty grumbled as he stood up, offering Ratchet his servo. Ratchet pulled himself up, half using the wall as the smaller mech easily took the weight off his bad side. He settled an arm around Dusty's shoulder guards while the red mech looped his arm around Ratchet's waist to stabilise him.

"The frag is going on here?!" Someone yelled and Ratchet immediately stiffened when Circuit barged into the room, his armor flared.

A snarl quickly worked its way free of his engine and Dusty also stiffened as Ratchet tensed.

"That aerial you had us drag in here attacked him." The Enforcer replied, shouldering the deadly looking rifle. Ratchet didn't recognise the mech. "Why the pit wasn't he put in solitary. Or better yet, a place that can _hold_ an aerial like that. I looked him up last night boss, the mech's got a record a mile and a half long, half of which is murder."

"He was cuffed- What the pit are you doing back here!" Circuit suddenly demanded, noticing Dusty for the first time.

"Getting my mech." Dusty snarled, his entire posture obvious that he didn't like the mech from the start. "Forms are out front. Now if you'll excuse us, we have work to do and you're wasting my time."

Ratchet continued to lean heavily on the other mech as Dusty helped him out of the stocks, the Enforcer close behind and loosely keeping a servo on the gun.

A flash of soft green optics had Ratchet pulling to a stop, spinning around as the slim mech walked down another hallway.

"Quickfix!" He called out and the Enforcer spun around in surprise before his gaze slid to Dusty.

"You're picking him up?" He asked Dusty, optics paling to white again. The mech stiffened at the Enforcer's earie optics before he gave a curt nod.

"I already signed my life away on those release forms." Dusty said stiffly.

"The mech in the cell with me. Not the aerial, the other one." Ratchet cut in, optics locked on the other medic. "I was told he offlined in the night."

Dusty glanced at him in surprise but Ratchet didn't take his optics off the slim Enforcer. As he feared the medic's armor tightened a fraction and his optics lost their dissecting edge.

"Yes. When the round went by around 2 in the morning we didn't detect a spark signature." He explained.

"What- what happened to him." Ratchet asked, his spark twisting. "What did I miss?"

"We know you smuggled a knife in there." Quickfix said with a scowl. "But we couldn't find it-"

"The aerial took it. I saw him hide it under his bracer." Ratchet cut in before wincing. "Sorry. Please continue."

"Quite frankly, you did know what you were doing." The mech continued with a faint smirk before it dissolved into a frown. "One of the primary lines you had tied off came loose. He leaked out."

Ratchet jerked back, horrified at the simple mistake and Dusty's servo tightened around his waist.

"You did what you could Ratch." He said softly as the slim Enforcer continued on his way.

"It wasn't enough." Ratchet whispered.

ooOOoo

To his surprise, Ironlock and Jigsaw were waiting for them outside, both mech's armor flared in anxiety.

"Ratch! You're alright!" Jigsaw called, whipping around from where he had been pacing in front of the low building.

"You're hurt. What happened." Ironlock demanded, the quiet mech straightening from where he had been leaning against the wall.

"Rough few joors. I'll live." Ratchet said with a shrug before flashing them a weak smile. "Just really tired that's all."

"That looks like acid to me." Ironlock muttered before shaking his helm. "Primus we're getting far to use to dealing with acid around here."

"That was my thought as well." Dusty said gravely, red optics darkening before he shook his helm. "Let's get back before Chrome sends someone after us."

"Probably a smart idea." Jigsaw said with a grin. "I like being one of the few mechs with a clean record around here."

"Not for long the way you drive." Ironlock shot back and the lanky mech gave him a hurt expression.

"Enough, let's get out of here." Dusty ordered as Ratchet practically collapsed forward onto his axils as he transformed. He knew instantly that the ride was going to hurt like pit. "Jigsaw get going."

"Yeah yeah boss." The mech said with a loose salute before launching forward into his altmode. Ironlock also fell into his heavy pickup alt and idled by the street waiting for Dusty and Ratchet.

"Are you going to make it up?" Dusty asked, resting a servo on Ratchet's roof.

"Guess we'll find out." He replied before pulling ahead in front of Ironlock. Dusty stayed beside him as they pulled into early morning traffic and headed back up to the mine.

ooOOoo

The drive to the edge of the highway was awful and by the time Longhaul finally showed up to give him a lift up the rough road to the medbay, Ratchet was barely conscious his leg hurt so much. Whatever acid he had missed was spreading again. Chrome had commed Dusty as soon as they were out of Iacon and stayed in contact the entire time. He said that it was because the adrenalin running though his lines that had numbed the worst of the pain and now that things had settled down, the numbing effect was wearing off.

Ratchet barely made it up onto the steel table and was unconscious before Chrome had even injected him with a shot of assemic.

ooOOoo

Someone moving beside him slowly brought Ratchet out of a drug induced stasis and for a spark stopping moment he though Vortex was back.

The spark signature was familiar though and so was the unmistakable smell of the medbay.

"Your friend's well enough to online." Chrome said to his right and Ratchet forced his tired frame to work. To his relief, his sensors were fully functional again and the throbbing in the back of his helm was gone. A quick servo down the back of his helm only found smooth metal.

But his leg was still numb from hipbolt to kneebolt and half way around his thigh.

He forced his optics online before sitting up with a weak groan as his vision pitched for a moment.

"There's an IV in your bracer." Chrome said just as Ratchet felt the slight tug from the needle. "You haven't refueled in an orn and I had to flush your systems. The acid didn't damage any lines to far from the initial shot but I'm not taking a risk with that slag."

"Good thing Copper came through with that supplies." Ratchet said with a weak grin, fingering the IV under his bracer.

Chrome grunted before flipping a page on the datapad.

"He's stable?" Ratchet asked, his gaze finally sliding to the other mech in the room, also unconscious on a berth. An IV line was inserted under his bracer to keep him in stasis.

"Focus made it in time to give him another IV of medgrade." Chrome said as Ratchet took the datapad with shaky digits. "He'll recover fine."

"Why is half my leg still numb?" He asked as he scanned the datapad and went over Shiftlane's stats himself.

"That acid destroyed your protoform." Chrome said with a low growl. "I don't have graphs and templating will take ages to reintegrate, not to mention you'll never had the sensitivity you did before. I don't know how long it will be numb."

Ratchet scowled before rubbing at the rough templating again.

"I could have saved him." He said quietly and Chrome stiffened.

"Huh?"

"The mech in my cell." Ratchet explained. "He leaked out. If I had my tools I could have saved him."

"Ratchet, they disabled your subspace." Chrome said softly, lowering the datapad to watch the apprentice. "You couldn't have done anything. _I _couldn't have done anything."

Ratchet didn't reply but carefully fingered the IV line just to give himself something to do.

"Don't play with that." Chrome ordered automatically and Ratchet dropped his servo. "Your friend is alright. I suggest you bring him out of it so he can go home before anyone starts to miss him." He added softly as he walked over. "Don't move."

He smoothly removed the IV and Ratchet pressed the heel of his servo against the few drops of energon that beaded on his protoform. After a few nano-klicks he dropped his servo and slid off the berth, heavily favoring his right leg. His entire leg was stiff from the mat of welds that covered his thigh and extended from hip bolt to knee bolt.

Shiftlane was on the berth beside him and he caught himself on the edge, not realising just how stiff he actually was.

"Keep your weight off your leg, I had to replace the cylinder." Chrome said, watching Ratchet. "Among other things."

Ratchet nodded as he sat down beside Shiftlane, adjusting the IV that was in the other mech's bracer and was steadily feeding him a light sedative to keep him in stasis. He shut it off and waited a few moments before letting his newly repaired scanners wash over the mech. He carefully pulled his datacord free making sure not to get it tangled in the IV line and plugged it into the back of the mech's helm.

Shiftlane's firewalls were completely lowered, something that confused Ratchet and he gently flared his own against the mech's conscious hoping he didn't get attacked. As he hoped, as weak as the firewalls were they shot up into position.

"_It's me, Ratchet. The medic from the alley."_ Ratchet explained, keeping his distance. The relief rolled over him like a wave as Ratchet shifted closer, subconsciously smoothing down the few jagged edges of pain he could still sense. The mech's conscious pressed against Ratchet's full of questions and he chuckled softly.

"_I'll tell you when you online." _He said as he drifted past Shiftlane's lowered firewalls, heading toward where he could sense his own coding keeping the mech in stasis. He easily deactivated the coding, did one last quick sweep for the familiar jagged edge of pain, and backed out.

Shiftlane was already starting to online easily as Ratchet coiled his datacord back into subspace.

"You're back." He rasped weakly, dim optics locked on Ratchet but steadily brightening. He winced, gritting his denta as the welds crisscrossing his side pulled before glancing at Ratchet with a faint smirk. "You look awful."

Ratchet chuckled, lowering his helm to hide a grin.

"You only got shot once." He said before gesturing to Chrome standing a little ways off. "That's my mentor, Chrome. He and a friend of mine got you out when I was… arrested…"

"They got you?" Shiftlane asked horrified.

"You could say that." He said with a wince.

The doors slid open and Ratchet twisted to see Dusty walk in.

"Well you're conscious. I guess that means you feel better." He said with a smirk before his gaze slid to Shiftlane. "You must be who all the fuss is about."

"I didn't mean to intrude-" Shiftlane started to say, dropping his optics as he shrank back against the berth.

"Nonsense." Chrome cut in, waving his servo in a dismissal. "Dusty's the boss 'round here but I run the medbay. Besides, now was the best time to get damaged. We just went on a supply run last orn. We were running low on everything."

"Oh good. You're not busy." Dusty said, glaring at Chrome and the medic stiffened.

"Not at the moment?" He replied, making it sound more like a question then an answer.

"Good. We need to talk." Dusty continued, still glaring at Chrome and gesturing him toward the office. Chrome remained stiff as he followed Dusty into his office and Ratchet watched them for a klick before the office door slid shut. A moment later and the window suddenly went dark.

"That was odd." He muttered more to himself then anything before refocusing on Shiftlane. "You feeling alright?"

"Sore." He confessed and Ratchet saw his servo slide toward the welds covering his side. He tapped the mech's servo sharply.

"Don't play with the welds. They'll soften up as they assimilate back into your protoform." Ratchet explained when the mech jumped. "They'll itch for a while but don't pick at them. You'll crack them and then you'll end up back here. And Chrome hates it when mech's waste his time cracking open welds that they picked at."

"I'll remember that." He said with a faint smirk before he suddenly stiffened. "I need to go, my gang will be worried." He said, levering himself up only to wince as the welds pulled.

"You won't make it down the mountain like that." Ratchet said with a faint smirk. "Trust me, you'll want a ride down."

Just then Chrome and Dusty came back, Dusty looking in a slightly better mood while Chrome looked badly shaken.

"You also get caught in the riot?" Dusty asked as he focused on Shiflane with more attention than Ratchet thought necessary. "Where you from."

"My gangs up by north Iacon." He explained. "My sire and I were just getting supplies for the gang."

"Well doesn't that sound familiar?" Dusty replied dryly, glancing at Ratchet.

"That's what we were doing."

"You don't think…" Chrome spoke up then shook his helm. "Naw, I'm just being paranoid."

"Copper?" Ratchet asked, glancing at his mentor. The mech jerked his helm in a nod and Dusty snarled a curse.

"Go figure." He grumbled before his gaze snapped up to Shiftlane again. "You might want to let your boss know you're still functional. Carbon can give you a ride back to the main road, save you a rough trip down."

"I don't want to be a problem-"

"You're not." Ratchet cut in, watching Shiftlane. "We'll make sure you get back in one piece."

"Thank you. I owe you my life." He said as he once again tried to sit up. This time he made it up and Ratchet helped him keep his balance as he swayed slightly.

"You owe us nothing, I'm just doing my job." Ratchet said with a grin.

"Carbon's here." Chrome spoke up suddenly and Ratchet turned to see him waiting by the door. A moment later the familiar black mech walked in, ducking through the doorway and his gaze settled on Ratchet.

"Good to see you back." He said with a faint smile

Ratchet didn't respond as his attention suddenly snapped down to Shiftlane as the mech gasped, his entire posture tensing up. His optics were wide in alarm and his armor pulled tight against his frame.

"Shiftlane? What's wrong." He asked, feeling the mech tremble as he kept a firm grip on the mech's bracer to keep him from bolting.

"It was a black mech." He whispered, vents coming fast as he continued to stare at Carbon like he's seen a spark eater. "He was there. He was shooting mechs from the alleys. He's the one that shot me."

"Carbon? He's been here the whole orn." Dusty said as he walked closer, his own armor flared at the mech's strange reaction to the big mech. Carbon was far above average size for an Iaconian and fear and caution were a normal reaction to the sight of the Kaonite. Utter terror, was not.

"Elite Guard." Ratchet whispered before raising his voice slightly and glancing at Dusty. "I saw him too. He shot one of the mech's that warned me about the Enforcers."

"There was Guard there?" Dusty repeated in dread. "What in Pit were Guard doing there?"

"One of the Enforcers I talked to-"

Dusty gave him a look of alarm and Ratchet held his servos out.

"Hold on, let me explain." He cut in before Dusty could blow a fuse. "Someone tried to cripple him. I got a favor in return and I cashed it in to call Focus to get him to find Shiftlane."

"Uh huh…" Dusty grunted, only half convinced.

"Anyways, he said that the riot had started to settle down, but then someone threw a bomb and kicked everything up again. He mentioned it was a black mech." Ratchet explained. "And like I said, I saw a black mech run off with a rifle. A big ugly thing."

"The _Guard_ started this?!"

Ratchet jumped at Chrome's sharp yell and he turned to see both him and Carbon staring at him with wide optics.

"Primus it's happening here too." Carbon mumbled and Ratchet straightened.

"What do you mean?" Dusty asked before Ratchet could.

"Ma- Mechs would get suspicious if we were too… obedient." Carbon said quietly. "They thought mechs would get overconfident and pull something. Course, very few were actually glitched enough to try anything so they had to stir things up. Someone had to be the poor fragger that was to be made an example."

"Oh Primus..." Ratchet gasped in horror. "Anyone?"

The black mech shrugged, no longer looking at anyone.

"Elites couldn't be risked around us so other mechs were given the task of stirring things up." He continued with a sneer. "And then someone would be blamed for staring a non-existent riot and he'd be made an example."

"Did they-" Ratchet cut himself off before he could ask and Carbon glanced at him, his red optics full of a deep set hate that Ratchet had seen directed at mechs like him far too often.

"What do you think." He replied in a dangerously soft tone. Abruptly he shook his helm and his optics went back to their normal deep shade. "Sorry. I'll wait outside."

"Primus that mech's been on edge." Dusty said after Carbon had left.

"Maybe having our apprentice back will calm him down." Chrome said, glancing at Ratchet. "I don't know what's gotten into him lately. I know Sterling's been in a mood but that's because there are riots happening in Polyhex again."

"Rubbing off?" Dusty suggested. "You know those two are best friends."

"Must be." Chrome replied with a shrug before refocusing on Shiftlane. "You up for a ride? Carbon's harmless for the most part. He's just… I don't know. Moody."

"Thank you." He mumbled, slowly getting to his peds. He wrapped a servo around his chassis, hissing in pain but managed to keep his balance. "I think I just might want that ride."

"Smart mech." Ratchet said with a grin as Chrome walked over. "Take care of yourself."

"You too." Shiftlane replied, letting Chrome help him outside. As soon as they had left he ran a servo down his aching leg.

"You alright?" Dusty asked, cocking his helm to watch Ratchet.

"I'll live." He said with a smirk. "I'm just glad I managed to save at least one."

"I'm sure you did more then that." Dusty said. "You're a good mech Ratch. I'd hate to lose you."

There was some kind of warning to it and Ratchet flinched.

"I messed up big time didn't I?" He asked quietly.

"I'll say." Dusty replied with a hard tone. "Don't mess around with Enforcers. I don't care if you did get a favor, you could have ended up terminated."

"Yessir." Ratchet replied, finally realising just how close to losing his life he'd come. Again. "I'm sorry. Is Carbon going to be alright? I didn't mean to upset him."

"He'll be fine." Dusty said with a shrug. "It's your friend I'm more worried about."

"Shiftlane?"

"No. The aerial. The helicopter." Dusty said. "The one that was going to gut you."

"Oh. Him." Ratchet replied with a shudder.

"Yeah him." Dusty repeated as Chrome walked in. He gave the medic a murderous look and the medic froze in his tracks before slowly lifting his servos in surrender.

"Dusty, I can explain-"

"Shut up Chrome, the only reason he's even still functional is because the Enforcer put that aerial down with an EMP to the back." Dusty snapped. "What the pit are you involved in that a fraggin' _aerial_ is after him! I knew you were crazy but this is ridiculous!"

"I can agree to that." Ratchet muttered.

"You shut up as well." Dusty snapped. "I'm mad at you as well."

"I've had too many close calls loosing mechs." Dusty continued at a snarl. "Mechs _disappear_ in the stocks Ratchet! And you know that as well as I do Chrome!"

"Dusty-" Ratchet started to protest weakly, shocked at the mech's sudden anger.

"I've lost mechs to the stockade Ratchet." Dusty hissed dangerously. "It's dangerous underground but at least you don't have to worry about your gang disappearing into thin air. So do me a favor, both of you, and don't get yourselves terminated. Got that?"

"Yessir." Ratchet mumbled, watching as the red mech spun around and stalked out, his armor flared in anger.

"He's right, I should have stopped you." Chrome said quietly, watching Ratchet with dim optics.

"I scared him." Ratchet said quietly, completely ignoring Chrome as he realised that Dusty had been trembling. "I scared him badly."

ooOOoo

Ratchet hesitated outside the apartment, not quite sure what to expect. Focus still hadn't commed him since he had called the pale green mech and it wasn't like him. Unlocking the door he walked in, closing the door behind him to see Focus sitting on his berth, the curtain that separated his little area from the rest of the apartment pulled back.

"Oh look who it is." He said, his optics brighter than usual as he glanced at Ratchet. "You decided to grace me with your presence."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get caught up in the riot." Ratchet said quietly, still not sure what was going on. Focus suddenly took a drink of a cube of dark blue energon and Ratchet felt his armor flare.

"You're drinking again." He said with a frown.

"Oh. Right." Focus replied before sneering. "I'm supposed to be the perfect apprentice while you run around risking your fraggin' neck on those mechs."

"What are you talking about." Ratchet asked in confusion. "What do you mean _those_ mechs?"

"Do you have _any_ idea how worried I was!" The slim mech suddenly snarled, glaring viciously at Ratchet. "Here I am, trying to focus on my work and yet I'm too busy wondering what kind of slag you're going to get yourself into this time. You _abandoned_ a patient!"

"I didn't have a choice." Ratchet cut in with a low growl. "If I had stayed, we might have both been terminated."

"Did it ever occur to you to think about someone other then yourself for once?" Focus snapped.

"That's all I ever do."

"Oh really? Then what about me!" The slim mech suddenly shot to his peds before swaying, pressing a servo to his helm before he had stabilised himself and continued to glare at Ratchet. "I thought we were friends!"

"Primus Focus, how much have you had to drink to even be thinking like this." Ratchet asked. "Course we're friends. I don't know what I'd do if you weren't here to back me up."

"I can't handle it anymore Ratchet." Focus mumbled, the anger gone as abruptly as it had come. "I can't handle thinking every time you don't answer your comm you've been terminated."

"I don't mean to make you worry Focus." Ratchet said softly. "I don't. It's just-"

"Yeah yeah, it's what you wanted to do all your life." Focus said with a sneer, some of the anger returning. "Just leave me alone."

He dropped back down onto his berth, yanking the curtain back across the room hard enough that it went all the way across. He jerked it back with a curse and Ratchet heard him take another drink.

"Focus-"

"Shut up."

Ratchet closed his mouth, his armor tight against his frame as he realised Focus was right.

"I'm sorry." He repeated quietly.

"Sorry doesn't bring back terminated mechs." Focus snarled and Ratchet flinched like he had been struck. Primus, he had messed up.

But he wasn't sorry he had tried to help. Sorry he'd gotten caught, and sorry that he had scared so many of his friends, but he knew that he would do it again. He'd just be more careful.

But it still didn't make him feel any less guilty.

* * *

**See you all next update!  
**

**Read and review, i love you guys. **


	40. Arrest

**I am SO sorry for the long wait but I finally said screw it with the settle down point so we're just gonna jump right back into the slag. So, this chapter I guess officially is the start of a whole lot of slag that happens to the gang. Enjoy!**

**RatchetLover: Sorry it took so long to update again. I've had a hectic week and every time i want to sit down my mind goes blank. Fear not! I am back for the moment. **

**SunnyandSidesexcellentadventur: I'm glad you like it so much to reread it. Means a lot to me. Hopefully I'll be able to keep typing and uploading chapters. **

**SummerMistedDragon: Sometimes friends are the ones that put us through the most amount of stress. He'll get over it eventually. Ratchet will make it up to him. **

**Child of Jon Snow: I'm alive! So is the muse! kinda...**

**AutobotGuy710: Ugh, i don't remember if I've thanked you for the constant emails or not to keep me going but THANK YOU and well, we got another chapter. :) finally...**

**Rogue8496: Nope, that's another nameless character. Trust me, when Ironhide shows up, the worlds gonna know about it. Check out my one-shot side stories if you want, the first one gives a sneak peak of their "relationship" *snort***

**And on to the fic!**

* * *

Ratchet winced as another pained whimper escaped Axil and the dark grey mech tensed. The gears currently mauling his arm shifted and Chrome swore, struggling to get to the bolt that would allow him to take the gear off and continue the long process of freeing the mech.

"Stop moving!" Chrome snapped, shifting his weight to reach further into the engine cavity of the mobile drill. "This is hard enough as is!"

Axil didn't respond and Ratchet didn't expect him to. The mech had removed his armor up to his shoulder joints to be able reach farther into the engine cavity. He had just managed to fix the massive transmission that the drill bit relied on to get up to speed when the drill bit, still lopsided from the broken off tip, rotated suddenly and caught his servo. The drill's massive weight had continued turning the drill even after it had crushed his arm.

His scream of pain had sent everyone scrambling madly for the surface with Chrome in the lead and everyone fearing the worse.

"Got it!"

The crushing pressure on the mech's arm eased off slightly and energon sluggishly dripped between Ratchet's digits as he worked to try and salvage as much of Axil's mangled protoform from between the gear teeth as he could. The mech hissed again, lowering his helm to rest it on his arm as he trembled with pain.

"Would be easier if you would just let me cut the gears apart." Chrome growled as he set the gear aside and started working on the next one.

"Too hard to replace." Axil mumbled into his arm and Ratchet gave Chrome a helpless shrug. Chrome scowled before muttering under his breath about stubborn glitches.

The next gear came off easier and Axil gasped as Ratchet continued to work his arm free from the gear teeth.

"So next time we're gonna set the brake properly right?" Ratchet asked, giving Axil a small smirk.

"That or yank my servo out of the way faster." He said with a weak smile. "I can't believe I made such a glitched mistake."

Chrome snorted but had the decency not to comment as he worked another gear free.

"That should do it." He said after a moment, setting another gear aside. Disconnected from the weight of the drill, he was able to manually force the gears to rotate backward as Ratchet continued untangling the mess of protoform and wiring.

"He's out." Ratchet said, immediately clamping off torn fluid lines as Chrome moved to gently support Axil's arm under a pile of clean mesh.

"You alright?" Chrome asked, glancing at Axil as the mech stumbled.

"Yeah… yeah just… yeah." He muttered, but he was still trembling.

"Shock." Ratchet said quietly and Chrome nodded.

"When was the last time you refuelled?" He asked.

"Uh…"

"To long." Chrome said with a scowl as he wrapped Axil's mangled arm in a length of clean mesh. "Come on, we're heading to the medbay. Ratch, you get to learn the art of patchwork welding."

"Joy." He replied, glancing at Chrome as the medic backed off and transformed. Ratchet helped Axil slump into the medic's box before transforming and following them down to the 'bay.

Chrome slammed on the brakes suddenly and Ratchet skidded to the side at the sudden stop.

"Hey! Wha-" Ratchet squawked but he paused when he saw why Chrome had stopped.

The glass doors to the medbay were both shattered.

"Axil, get out." Chrome said quietly.

"Chrome you can't go in there, what if they're still there!" Ratchet demanded as the dark grey mech climbed out.

"No one's there, I can't detect any spark signatures." Chrome said as he transformed. Ratchet was instantly upright as well, grabbing the other mech's arm.

"Get one of the others to look." He ordered, refusing to admit just how nervous he felt. Chrome gave him a confused look before shaking his helm.

"I got this, relax." He said, pulling free. "You alright Axil?"

Ratchet turned to the dark grey mech and the miner nodded, cradling his mangled arm to his chassis.

"I'm fine." He replied with a weak smile.

"Chrome, please, get someone else-" Ratchet cut himself off when he realised that the mech was already walking toward the broken doors. "Chrome!" He hissed before glancing back at Axil.

"Go." He said simply and Ratchet raced to catch up to the medic.

"Stay with Axil." Chrome ordered but Ratchet shook his helm.

"Not a chance. You need someone to run away screaming for help." He shot back, staying just behind the other medic.

"Suit yourself." He said with a shrug as he started toward the medbay.

Ratchet's armor was already on end by the time they got to the doors and Chrome paused just outside the broken glass.

"Hello?" Chrome called and Ratchet winced at the sound. Quietly, Chrome stepped through the doorway and Ratchet jumped when the mech accidently knocked some glass loose. It shattered on the glass covering the floor and Ratchet gasped at the mess that covered the floor.

"Our supplies!" He cried out when he saw the cupboards ripped open and templating and other material covering the floor. The berths had been flipped on their side and it looked like someone shot the lights out.

"Frag!" Chrome spat as he suddenly ran into his office. Ratchet slowly wandered farther into the medbay, glancing around at the mess.

"We got a problem!"

"What." Ratchet asked, turning toward Chrome as he came out of his office.

"Someone went through my reports." Chrome growled as his armor flared. "They went through the files. Someone was looking for something."

"But what." Ratchet demanded, once again looking around the trashed room. "I mean, those files don't really mean anything to anyone but medics. And why trash the place?"

"I don't know." Chrome said before swearing under his breath. "This really frags me off."

Ratchet glanced back at the mech.

"Well now what."

"Clean up I guess." He said with a sigh. "Find what we need to repair Axil and then find out what's salvageable."

"Oh, we made sure not much of it was."

Chrome whipped around at the mech's sudden voice, hurling a wrench at the mech before realising who it was.

The Enforcer stumbled back, a servo pressed to his helm as the other two with him aimed their rifles at Chrome.

"For frack's sake you don't scare someone like that!" He yelled, ignoring the rifles entirely as Ratchet went rigid in alarm.

"Chrome, that's Speedbrawl." He said quietly, not taking his optics off of the Enforcer still swearing. "He's the one I told you about."

"Uh huh." Chrome growled, slowly raising his servos when the Enforcers didn't back down.

"You have a lot of nerve assaulting an Enforcer with a record as long as yours." Speedbrawl growled, glaring viciously at Chrome.

"Assault!" Chrome yelled. "You scared the utter slag out of us! How the frag did you expect us to act?!"

"And what do you mean record!" Ratchet demanded with a snarl. "He hasn't done anything wrong!"

"Oh I wouldn't say that Bait." Speedbrawl said with a smirk. "I got enough on your so called _mentor_ to lock him up for a few metacycles."

Chrome stiffened as Ratchet shot him a shocked look.

"What are you talking about." Chrome demanded. "Everything I do here is legal."

"Maybe. But the parts you get sure aren't legal."

Chrome didn't say anything and Ratchet didn't dare react in case he got them in even more trouble.

"Now we can either do this the easy way, or the hard way." Speedbrawl continued before giving Ratchet a nasty sneer. "And by all means, please resist. Your friend got me in a lot of trouble."

"You could have gotten that mech terminated!" Ratchet spat, taking a step forward. "What, you put that aerial in that cell with me just to shut me up-?!"

"Enough." Chrome cut in, grabbing Ratchet's bracer when he took another step forward. Ratchet snarled, ready to give the mech a piece of his processor. "Go outside." He continued quietly.

"What!" Ratchet barked before remembering about Axil. He clenched his jaw, knowing the mech would panic if he knew that there were Enforcers around. "Fine."

He glanced away, unable to even look at the smug Enforcer as he retreated outside the medbay. Halfway back to Axil he transformed to look back over his shoulder guard at the medbay. His servo tightened around the glass bottle Chrome had slipped into his servo and he quickly glanced at it. As he feared, it was the mech's stash of Prexilin. Watching the medbay for a few nano-klicks more, he turned and headed back up the road to where Axil was waiting.

The mech was visibly tense and it was obvious that he got even tenser when Ratchet walked up.

"What's going on?" He asked. "I can smell the cleaner Chrome uses from here. The doors were broken down weren't they? Someone trashed the place?"

"Yeah, yeah it was." Ratchet replied, running a scan over the mech. As he feared, the mech's spark pulse was going through the atmosphere. "Axil-"

"Don't don't-" He stammered, taking a shaky step back. "Chrome's still there. Someone's there with him but he'd have commed the others if whoever trashed the 'bay was still there."

"Axil, calm down, it's ok." Ratchet said as the mech started to hyperventilate in the start of a panic attack. A panic attack that would rapidly spiral into a selion attack.

"It's Enforcers." He whispered, his armor clamped impossibly tight against his frame. "Enforcers are there. They're gonna take Chrome- gonna take- take everyone-"

"Axil-" Ratchet cut in, taking a step forward to try and grab the mech's good arm. Axil jerked back with a sharp intake and continued panting, his core temperature spiking to a dangerous level.

"They had Sandy-"

"He's alright! Sandy's alright, he made it to Tarn, he's alright." Ratchet said, trying to get the mech to focus.

"They're gone- all gone-" Axil continued rambling, still shaking and backing away from Ratchet.

"**Chrome, what's going on, Axil's panicking."** Ratchet demanded over the comm only to whip around toward the medbay when he didn't get a response. He turned back to Axil just in time to see the mech suddenly collapse and Ratchet rushed to him with a curse. A moment later a small, fast looking shuttle suddenly came streaking toward them from Iacon. He knew without a doubt that Axil had heard it coming and he ran another scan over the mech to confirm that he was having a selion attack. He still had Chrome's Prex in servo and he subspaced a clean needle, drawing the right amount into the tip and injecting it into the mech's neck cables.

The shuttle's engines slowing down caused him to turn around and he watched with dread as the shuttle landed outside the medbay.

"**Ratch, It's Sterlin', wha's goin' on! Ah saw tah shuttle land an' Chrome ain't answerin'."**

"**Sterling! Thank Primus!"** Ratchet gasped over the comm as he saw the sun glint off the silver semi as he came up the road. **"I don't know, there's Enforcers at the 'bay, they want to arrest Chrome and Axil's having a panic attack, he just collapsed!" **

"**Wha?!"** Sterling demanded.

"**Just get up here!" **Ratchet ordered, his attention divided between Axil and what was happening at the medbay. The Prex wasn't lowering Axil's core temp like it was supposed to do but he didn't know if it was safe to give the mech more with his spark racing the way it was. He needed the drugs that were in the medbay but the way the Enforcers had torn the place apart, he doubted that he'd find any. He spat another curse as he remained crouching over the mech. The powerful roar of Sterling's engine echoed off the mountains and Ratchet turned to watch him race up to the medbay and transform. He disappeared between the shuttle and the medbay and vaguely he realised that Sterling and a bunch of Enforcers in the same room might not be the safest place.

"**Dusty, It's Ratchet, I need you up here." ** Ratchet said over the comm, anxiously watching the medbay for anything while still keeping his attention on Axil.

"**What's wrong, what's going on." **Dusty demanded immediately.

"**I don't know what's going on but there's Enforcers in the medbay, Sterling and Chrome-"**

"**Sterling **_**and**_** Chrome?! Aw frag…"**

"**Axil collapsed and they're blocking comms. I don't know what's going on." **Ratchet continued, glancing back to the medbay again.

"**Be right there." **Dusty replied. Ratchet nodded to himself and reopened a comm to Chrome. As he feared, all he got was static. Sterling's comm was the same. A whine escaped him before he realised it and he clenched his denta together until his jaw creaked. He'd give anything to find out what was going-

A shot shattered the air and Ratchet shot to his peds in alarm, his spark pounding in his audios. Images of the riot flashed across his optics and he took a step toward the medbay.

"Ratchet-" Dusty started to say as he came up behind Ratchet.

"Stay with Axil, someone's been shot!" Ratchet ordered, lunging forward into his alt form before Dusty could object. Before he made it to the medbay though the shuttle suddenly powered up and just as he got close enough, the thing was suddenly airborne. The backdraft from its engines blasted Ratchet and he winced as gravel pelted his flanks. The shuttle took off back toward Iacon and Ratchet saw that what was left of the doors had been kicked outward out of the way. He stepped inside to be hit with the smell of plasma and fresh energon.

"Sterling!" He called out, glancing around the room and freezing when he saw the silver mech in an heap against the wall. Energon splattered the wall behind him and Ratchet's spark stopped. He avoided the mess on the floor as best as he could as he got to the mech's side, grabbing his shoulder guard and expecting the worse.

To his relief Sterling gave a quiet cry of pain, jerking away from Ratchet.

"Primus, you're still functional." Ratchet said quietly as he saw the gouge running across the mech's chassis. It looked like he had twisted out of the way of the shot and it had grazed him. While the deep gash normally wouldn't have been a problem, he was still over-sensitive to touch. "I thought they had terminated you."

"Naw… just- grazed meh." The mech said between gritted denta as Ratchet examined the deep gash. "They got Chrome."

"What?" Ratchet asked, horrified.

"Dragged 'em off." Sterling continued. "Ah wanted tah know where they were takin' em and tah one pulled ah gun."

"I've got a pretty good idea who you're talking about." Ratchet said with a sneer.

"Ratchet?"

He spun around to see Dusty idling in the doorway, Axil slumped unconscious in his box.

"What's going on. Where's Chrome." Dusty asked as Ratchet walked over to him. "What happened to- Sterling!"

"Ah'm fine!" The mech cut in, pressing a servo against the wall as he straightened up with a pained gasp, his optics far brighter than normal.

"What in Pit happened here!?" Dusty demanded as Ratchet walked over.

"Enforcers trashed it." Ratchet said as he ran a scan over Axil. The mech was stabilising but was still hyperventilating. "Give me a klick to set something up."

He quickly ducked back inside, wincing when glass broke under his peds. Taking a deep vent to try and calm down, he heaved one of the berths back upright and shoved it to the cleanest part of the medbay.

"What the pit happened to Sterling!" Dusty demanded when Ratchet came back out.

"He got shot." Ratchet said as he lifted Axil to his chassis and carried him inside.

"What?!" Dusty demanded, shooting upright to stare at Ratchet with wide optics. He followed Ratchet inside and froze in the doorway. "What…?"

"Yeah, it's a mess." Ratchet said, glancing back at the mech as he gently laid Axil down. Sterling immediately tried to sit up only for a low snarl to escape his engine.

"Wha' appened! Ah thought 'ee just messed up 'is arm!" He demanded and on the second attempt he managed to get up.

"He had a panic attack." Ratchet explained as he ran another scan over the mech.

"Ratchet, are you alright?" Dusty asked in a low voice.

"What? Yeah I'm fine." Ratchet said, giving the mech a confused look before spinning on Sterling. "Stop moving, you're hurting yourself!"

"Ya servos are shakin'." Sterling said quietly. Ratchet froze before glancing at his servos to see the silver mech was right.

"I'm fine." He repeated as he clenched them into fists before he started rummaging through what was still in the drawers. He nearly jumped out of his armor when Dusty reached around him to pick up a long strip of templating and a small welder.

"What-" He started to object.

"I've patched up mechs before." Dusty said, cutting him off. "Axil's in worse sharp, I'll patch up Sterling."

Ratchet was about to object before he realised that he was completely in over his helm and nodded weakly.

"I don't have anything to help with the pain-" he started to say.

"Don' both'a." Sterling interrupted as he shook his helm. "Just focus on Axil."

Ratchet nodded weakly before returning to Axil. The mech was still unconscious and stable and so he started unwrapping Axil's arm. Energon and fluids were still leaking slowly from the mangled remains and Ratchet ran a few more deep system scans. The main strut and hydraulic cylinders in his arm had kept the gears from crushing fluid lines and causing irreparable damage. Problem was, the strut and both shafts had snapped and had torn wiring and fluid lines to pieces before tearing into his protoform.

Knowing it was going to be a while and the last thing he wanted was Axil coming online in the middle of piecing his arm back together, Ratchet was able to find an intact IV bag as well as a smaller one of assemic. He set both up and got to work slowly figuring out what went where and what needed to be replaced.

He completely lost track of time as he worked. He tried to stay focused but his processor kept drifting to Chrome. He didn't know if they had taken him to the same station he had been or if they had taken Chrome elsewhere. Pit, for all he knew, Chrome was offline.

He immediately dismissed the thought, refusing to believe that anything could happen to Chrome. But then that awful night with Carbon when they had found Chrome leaking out after being impaled by Titan flashed through his processor. They had come so close to losing him. The reminder made him shiver and he made his processor refocus on Axil.

He nearly jumped out of his armor when someone touched his arm and he whipped around expecting an Enforcer.

"Woah, mechling, didn't mean to scare you." Carbon said, backing off with his servos raised slightly. Ratchet glanced down in confusion only to realise that he was holding a scalpel he'd been using to splice together tubing. He dropped it like the sharp tool had burned him, backing up till he hit the berth panting.

"Primus, I didn't mean-" He stammered, shocked at how he'd reacted. He'd nearly taken a swing at the mech but only his coding recognising Carbon even before he himself did caused him to hesitate a nano-klick. "I'm sorry…"

"It's fine Ratchet." Carbon said with a faintly amused smirk. "I was coming up from dropping a load of scrap and decided to check in on Axil." He glanced around, his smirk dissolving into a scowl. "They sure trashed the place huh."

Ratchet nodded before he realised someone was missing and immediately stiffened, looking around wildly.

"Waitaklick! Where's Sterling!" He demanded in alarm.

"Up at the mine." Carbon replied. "Dusty told him to go home but he refused."

"Fragger." Ratchet snapped as he relaxed only a tiny bit.

"But more than wanting to check on Axil, I have a good idea of where those Enforcers took Chrome." Carbon continued quietly.

"Where!" Ratchet demanded.

"When you're done with Axil I'll take you." Carbon said. "I know the place, a lot of dangerous mechs end up there."

Ratchet nodded mutely as a chill worked its way down his spinal support.

"I- I just have a few more welds." Ratchet said, glancing back at Axil nervously before back to Carbon. The black mech nodded and started to turn away.

"Oh, next time you threaten someone with a knife, hold it point down." He added, glancing back at Ratchet. "The force behind a stab isn't as great but it gives you a wider range of motion."

Ratchet continued to stare at the mech in alarm as he walked out of the medbay before hesitantly bending down to pick up the dropped scalpel. Hesitantly, he turned it around in his servo, instantly hating the hard grip and dropped it into the sink before rubbing his servo nervously. While it couldn't cut through the heavy armor that protected a mech's spark, the blade was more than sharp enough to cut through the thinner armor on their arms and legs or protoform. In the right servos, a knife that small could be just as dangerous as a large one.

The thought sent another shuddering wave through Ratchet as he realised that not only did he know the weak points of a mech's frame, the self-defence techniques the others had taught him would give him the time he would need to strike those points. And with a knife in servo, he could easily terminate a mech that way.

Realisation of what he was capable of if he wasn't bound by medical coding had him purging into the sink.

ooOOoo

Ratchet stared at the hulking mass of steel building before him and nervously stepped back into Carbon's impressive shadow.

"Told you it was a big place." Carbon said softly, glancing down at Ratchet before walking ahead. Ratchet stayed right in his shadow, optics darting around to take in the machine guns mounted along the top edge of the roof of the main building and its outstretched wings.

They had already passed the main wall with it's spot lights and more machine guns and while the guard on duty, a massive, scarred brute of a mech gave him a dirty look, he'd let them both in after a few klicks with an armed escort.

"Primus I can't belief Chrome's in there." Ratchet heard himself squeak, then coughed to clear his vents.

"That's why Dusty was worried sick when he found you'd been arrested." Carbon explained, flaring his armor at another mech that was giving them a little too much attention. The mech sneered, showing jagged denta and a missing optic before he turned away with a huff. He had the black and white paint scheme of an Enforcer, but he didn't have the ID signature to match and his paint was in horrible shape.

Watching the way the mech continued to him, Ratchet nearly plastered himself to Carbon's side. There was something about the mech's deep red optics that chilled him to his spark. All of a sudden, he understood why Dusty had been so mad at them.

"They would have gutted me within 24 joors." He murmured. "I would never have lasted the night."

"He's one of the guards. Ex- Enforcer my guess." Carbon said low enough that their guide wouldn't hear. Ratchet's armor flared to the point it was standing on edge. "See the mark on the side of his helm? Don't stare!"

Ratchet shot a quick glance at the mech and immediately saw the strange glyph on his helm, just above and behind his jaw.

"What does that mean?" Ratchet asked, still keeping his voice down.

"It means he's a former inmate." Carbon said. "Mechs in here form their own system. The guards are at the top but they're outnumbered. They get some of the gang leaders in here to act as enforcers if you will to help keep things under control. They usually get special privileges for keeping inmates in line."

"Like?" Ratchet pressed.

"Drugs usually." He continued. "Sometimes though the guards turn a blind optic to a 'teaching moment' and let then beat the scrap out of some mech just to burn off steam and to drive their status home. Make sure the new mechs know who's in charge."

Ratchet shuddered, and once again subconsciously shifted even closer to Carbon as they finally walked into the main building.

"This way." Their guide ordered gruffly as he pointed them toward a large lift. They went up a level, then turned down a hallway and their guide shoved open a doorway. He jerked his helm toward the open door and Carbon took the lead. They were in an office but Carbon and the other mech in the room made it seem small. A third mech, this one average sized with scared and dirty armor, was sitting at a desk.

"State your business." The mech growled, focused on the mess of datapads strewed across his desk.

"We're here to see Chrome." Carbon said and the mech's helm snapped up to focus on them. "He was taken this morning."

"Who are you." The mech demanded.

"Designation Carbon." He replied and the mech narrowed his optics, cocking his helm to the side slightly.

"Where you from." He asked slowly like he already knew the answer.

"Ia-" Carbon started to say before the mech cut him off with a low growl.

"Where you were sparked."

Ratchet felt Carbon tense beside him and he shot the mech a nervous look.

"Kaon. Pit mine Alpha dash 78." He replied and as close as Ratchet was to him, he heard the mech growl quietly. Again he gave the mech a look before filing that little bit of information away.

"Ah, a pit spark are you." The mech said with a dangerous smirk before his gaze slid to Ratchet. "And you?"

"Designation Ratchet of Iacon." He replied, surprised that he managed to keep his voice from squeaking.

"Uh huh." The mech hummed before his gaze slid back to Carbon.

"You were looking for someone designated Chrome?" He asked as he leaned back in his chair slightly to glance at a monitor on the corner of his desk.

Carbon didn't reply and Ratchet had no intentions of drawing the mech's attention back to him.

"**What do ya want glitch! I'm busy!" **A mech snarled over the intercom and Ratchet winced at the familiar muffled sound of metal striking metal.

"I got a pair of mechs up here looking for a buddy of theirs. Designation Chrome." The mech said, again giving Carbon a look Ratchet couldn't identify.

"**Chrome huh. I know that designation. I'll track him down and get someone to drag him up." **

Ratchet stiffened at the mech's words, his spark jumping into his throat that Chrome might be hurt. Hopefully they just meant he was being stubborn.

"Will do, will do." The mech said before he flipped the intercom off with a flourish. "Brokebar, be so kind as the escort them down to the floor?"

The mech that had remained silent in the corner nodded before straightening from the wall with a grunt.

"Follow me." He ordered in a raspy voice and Carbon nudged Ratchet ahead of him. Refusing to admit just how much on edge he was, Ratchet followed the guard back out into the hallway and down another lift. The hallways they walked down were brightly lit but filthy and Ratchet couldn't help but flare his armor as guarded optics followed him. Again he was glad that Carbon was with him.

Just as they were about to walk through a set of blast doors, two more mechs, both with blasters, stepped into their path.

Carbon froze, armor flaring as he gave a low growl of warning. Ratchet instinctively jumped back as Carbon's servo shot up to block him.

"Chrome's allowed one visitor." The mech on the right with optics the color of sour energon said with a sneer. "One of you is staying 'ere."

"Not a chance. We're staying together." Carbon growled, his armor flaring.

"Then neither of you get to see him." The mech continued. "Your choice."

"I have to talk to him." Ratchet said quietly, touching Carbon's bracer to get his attention.

"It's too dangerous." Carbon said, not even glancing at Ratchet but deliberately holding the mech's glare.

"Carbon he probably thinks they terminated Sterling." Ratchet insisted. "I _have_ to tell him he's alright."

The black mech hesitated before glancing down at Ratchet.

"I don't like it." He said before glaring at the guards again. "I don't trust them."

"Feeling's mutual." The guard shot back.

"Anything happens-"

"I'll be fine." Ratchet cut in, giving the mech a reassuring smile.

"Ten klicks." Carbon said before giving the guards a murderous look. "Or I'll tear the doors off their tracks."

"I'll like to see you try that." The guard replied with a smirk before turning sideways and gesturing down the hall. "If you're coming?"

Ratchet forced himself to act more confident then he felt as he left Carbon's side to follow the mech farther down the hall. He unlocked a door and gestured Ratchet inside.

"Ratchet?!" Chrome demanded in shock as soon as Ratchet was inside. He froze at the side of his mentor before both mechs started talking at once.

"Chrome!? What happened to your helm!"

"-is Sterling alright! They shot him-"

"-it was that Enforcer wasn't it!"

"-wouldn't tell me if he was alright-"

-they hurt you-"

"-smacked me around a little-"

"-are you alright?"

"-you alright?"

They both stared at each other for a nano-klick before Ratchet nodded slowly.

"Yeah I'm fine." He said after a moment. "Are you?"

Chrome shrugged, angling his helm away as if he could hide his damaged optic.

"I've had worse." He said with a forced grin. Ratchet walked up to him, reaching out to force Chrome to look at him.

"They hit you." He said with a frown, examining the gash that extended on either side above and below his cracked optic. "Is the socket still intact?"

Chrome hissed when Ratchet touched the damaged protoform and pulled away.

"Yes. I'll live. It will heal." He said but Ratchet continued frowning.

"It's infected. Chrome you could lose your optic."

"It will already need to be replaced." Chrome said with another easy shrug. "There's so much grime and viruses flying around in here it would have surprised me if it didn't get infected."

Ratchet couldn't help but give Chrome another alarmed look.

"What about Sterling, is he alright?" Chrome asked before Ratchet could object.

"He's alright." Ratchet said softly. "They just grazed him but it was enough to put him out of whatever fight was going to happen. How long are you in here?"

Chrome sighed, glancing away again.

"I don't know." He said. "They just dragged me here, booked me in, and now it's a waiting game."

"They can't keep you here." Ratchet insisted. "What about the gang? What about what Dusty said about mechs disappearing!"

"They're in good servos." Chrome said with a smirk. "You're one pit of a good medic."

"What, me?!" Ratchet asked in alarm. "Chrome I can't do this by myself! I'm not ready!"

"You've run the place yourself before." He said simply.

"But I could always reach you! You were always-"

Someone pounded on the door and Ratchet jumped, spinning around in alarm as it unlocked and the guard from before came in.

"Time's up." He growled.

"What! But I-!" Ratchet protested but Chrome rested a servo on his shoulder guard.

"You'll be fine." He said calmly. "Gang's in good servos. I'll be out in a few groons and then we'll be back to normal."

Ratchet gave his mentor a panicked look before forcing himself to nod.

"You going to be alright?" He asked again.

"I'll be fine." Chrome replied before nudging Ratchet forward. "Take care of the gang for me."

Ratchet nodded weakly before turning away and walked out of the small room. The door locked behind him and he couldn't help but give it a helpless look as he walked back to Carbon. It wasn't like this was the last time he'd ever see Chrome… was it?

* * *

**Ooh... starting to get caught up to the original. Remember how that one ended? Well, now we finally get to see what all happens when Chrome isn't around.  
**

**40 chapters and almost 400 reviews. I love you guys!**

**Read and Review!**


	41. Pain

**I'M ALIVE! YAHOO! Hopefully i can keep going. I've finally gotten into some fun stuff so i hope to keep going. I'm not on overtime till the end of the month so i don't have to go to bed at 9 so that i can focus the next day. **

**On with the chapter!**

**Tildawn: HA! I know the feeling. The last thing i posted only has a week left on it before it's auto deleted. Har har. And trust me, things are gonna get interesting. **

**Guest: Yes i'm back, i hope for a while but no promises...**

**AutobotGuy710: Yeah things are gonna get tense. Lots of changes gonna happen. **

**Jazzilynn Hall: Maybe, maybe not :) not gonna spoil anything, i love the suspence. **

**Rogue8496: Oh, is he ever! And I'm glad you like my other fics, I'm working on a bunch of others ones that i hope to finish at some point in life...**

**Huge thanks to all of you that are sticking with me! I love you all and it means so much to me!**

* * *

There was a sharp gasp and a split nano-klick later glass shattered, the sharp fragments scattering across the floor and up against Ratchet's leg. He jerked in surprise before his helm snapped up to where he could see Axil doubled over, his arm cradled to his chassis.

"Axil?" He asked, using the edge of the berth to pull himself up from his kneeling position on the floor. "What happened?"

"Nothing just- just my arm gave out." He said through gritted denta, his vents coming hard and fast. Ratchet grimaced as he watched the mech, his spark twisting as he was reminded that there was nothing he could do for the mech. Their supply of medication had been taken and all that he had left was the Prex Chrome had given him, and the small amount of drugs he kept in subspace.

As much pain as Axil was in, he refused to take the Novrin in case someone needed it more than him.

They were so low on everything it was terrifying. If anything serious happened to anyone, Ratchet didn't know if he'd be able to save them. The thought left a constant lump in his tanks and he hadn't recharged decently since Chrome was arrested.

He tried to hide it but Ratchet knew that Axil was in far more pain then what he was showing. The fact that it hurt him too much to keep stretching his arm told Ratchet far too much.

"Take a break, you're pushing yourself again." Ratchet said and Axil looked like he was about to object. "I'm serious, take a break. I'll clean up."

Axil refused to meet his optics, his armor pinned tight against his frame.

"Fine." He mumbled after a moment. "I'll… I'll be outside."

As he walked away, Ratchet watched him before with a sigh crouched down to grab rag he'd been using to scrub out the cabinet. Tossing it into the sink he headed into the workshop to grab a broom and sweep up the glass. It had been a new panel for the lights the Enforcers had shot out. The glass cleaned up and his leg sore from kneeling for so long, he went back to trying and cleaning up the workshop.

Despite it looking like a mess, Ratchet had quickly figured out that Chrome had a specific layout, much like the rest of the medbay. Now the semi-organised stacks of scrap metal was strewn everywhere and tools scattered over the floor.

He'd managed to clean up enough that he wasn't worried about tripping over something and off'ing himself by accident but it was still a mess.

The tarp covering the doors shifted and he immediately stiffened when he realised it wasn't Axil. Almost two joors had passed without him noticing and he relaxed when he recognised the spark signature.

He walked out of the workshop to see Nova with her back to him, facing the main medbay. Her posture was tense.

"Nova?" He asked in confusion and she spun around with wide optics. "What are you doing here?"

"Primus, you're alright." She said, venting out in relief. "What happened here! Where's Chrome!"

"Chrome's not here." Ratchet replied, wondering why the femme was here.

"Where is he!" She cut in.

"Keep your voice down, Axil's around here somewhere and he gets really jumpy around anyone not part of the gang." Ratchet said quietly and she glanced toward the door. "Glitch got his arm caught in his mobile drill."

"Is he alright?" She asked, instantly switching to medic in training mood.

"Snapped a couple struts and tore his protoform to shreds." Ratchet replied with a one sided shrug like it was an every orn experience. "I patched up what I could but he's still hurting. We don't have any painkillers."

"What, why not!" Nova demanded. Ratchet winced at his slip up but couldn't avoid the femme's piercing gaze.

"Enforcers were here." He said carefully. "They searched the place."

"What! What for!"

"They arrested Chrome on illegal parts possession and black market dealings." He confessed. "They trashed the place looking for stuff and took most of our supplies."

"So he's had nothing for the pain." She asked in horror.

"No." Ratchet replied. "I have a little Novrin in subspace but he won't take it in case something more serious happens to someone."

"You have _nothing_?" Nova repeated and Ratchet nodded. "You can't run a medbay without supplies!"

"I know." Ratchet said quietly. "We just went on a supply run so we can't afford anything."

"So now what."

"I don't know." Ratchet continued. "I might have to talk to our supplier. He's an aft but I don't have any other options. Axil's already traumatized, he doesn't need this on top of everything else that's happened to him."

"No wonder you're so stressed out." She said with a frown. "Do you need anything?"

"Nothing that you can help with." Ratchet said with a sigh, leaning back against the door frame. "I just hope nothing happens to the gang. I'm helpless right now and I hate it."

"I'm sorry." She said softly. "I wish there was something I could do."

"Focus still mad at me?" He asked, hesitantly looking up at Nova. "We've hardly spoken since I…" He trailed off, dropping his gaze again.

"Yeah he mentioned that." She said after a moment, also dropping her gaze. "I can't believe you got yourself arrested. I mean, if that happened to me, my creators would flip."

"Must be nice." He replied, not realising he'd said that out loud until Nova shot him a look.

"Ratchet-"

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that." He cut in with a wince, crossing his arms across his chassis as he refused to look at her. "I wasn't thinking. Chrome being in the stocks just has me on edge. I keep expecting some horrible thing to happen."

A servo landed on his bracer and he glanced up in surprise to see her standing just in front of him.

"It's gonna be alright." She said softly.

"Primus I wish I could believe you." He replied honestly. "But I don't have that kind of luck. Not with knowing that I can't reach Chrome. Not in an emergency."

"If you ever need help…" Nova pressed, cocking her helm to the side to look Ratchet in the optics. The taller mech gave her a glance before dropping his gaze again.

"It's not help that I need, its supplies." He repeated with a sigh.

"Ratchet, I'm serious." Nova said again, nudging his arm to regain his attention. "If you need me I'll be here as soon as I can. Alright?"

Ratchet knew she wouldn't give up so he nodded.

"Alright." He said quietly.

"Good." She said, finally backing off with a soft smile.

"Now ain' tha' just tah cutest."

"Sterling!" Ratchet squawked, nearly jumping out of his plating when he saw the silver mech leaning against the door frame and grinning like an over charged glitch. "Primus don't scare us like that! What do you want!"

"Just checkin' in on ya." He said, still grinning before his gaze slid to Nova and he smirked. "Seems like ya doin' alright tah meh."

"Primus Sterling, it's nothing like that." Ratchet mumbled, feeling his faceplates heat up in embarrassment and a strong urge to beat the larger mech senseless.

"Like wha-" Nova started to ask, glancing between the two mechs before she went bright blue and her optics got huge. "No! No no no, nothing like that. No, I was just…" She trailed off with a groan, burying her faceplates into her servos.

"Ah'm teasin'." Sterling said with a grin, straightening before wincing. Ratchet and Nova both stiffened, red and green optics pinning the silver mech in place.

"What's wrong." Nova asked at the same time Ratchet growled low in his chassis.

"He got shot." Ratchet said with a scowl. "You'd better not be working too hard again."

"Ah'm fine Ratch." Sterling said with a scowl.

"What?!" Nova yelled at the same time. "What do you mean shot?!"

"Ee's missed." Sterling said with a sneer. "Show's wha' kinda shot they are."

"Hey! If he'd actually hit you, you'd be offline!" Ratchet snapped. "It's a pit of a good thing he's a lousy shot!"

"Yeah yeah." Sterling said with a scowl, backing down slightly before shaking his helm. "Bu' 'nough 'bout tha'. 'Ow's Axil."

"Been better." The mech said quietly and Sterling jumped, spinning around in alarm to see the mech standing beside him, his arm held awkwardly against his chassis while he used his good arm to keep the tarp out of his way.

"Primus mech, tha's ah good way tah loose ya other arm." Sterling grumbled, flared armor settling as he glowered at Axil. The mech smirked before his attention shifted to Nova. Ratchet immediately saw the way his armor flared just the slightest bit and a quick scan showed the mech's spark pulse had jumped.

"Do you remember Nova?" He asked, not sure if the mech had ever met her. "She's a good friend of mine and another medical apprentice."

"I… I think so." He said after a moment and he started to relax. "I need to finish fixing that light if there's more glass."

"You don't need to right now." Ratchet said as the mech stared toward the medbay. "I can see well enough as it."

"No, it keeps me occupied." Axil said, giving Ratchet a fait smirk over his shoulder guard. "Not like I can work anyways."

"Does it hurt?" Nova asked abruptly, her attention on the other mech. Axil glanced at her like he had forgotten she was there before carefully running a servo down his bracer.

"A little." He said quietly, clearly on edge. "As long as I'm doing something I don't think about it. Usually."

"Can I take a look?"

Axil skipped a vent and both Sterling and Ratchet stiffened.

"It's alright, I'll live." Nova said, sensing the tension and backing off. To the other mechs' surprise, Axil shook his helm.

"No, it's ok." He said before reaching for his shoulder guard to start removing his armor.

"You sure?" Ratchet asked, giving the mech a pointed look. He nodded and gave Ratchet a small smile.

"Might as well. It's not like it will hurt more." He said and Ratchet winced.

"You sure you don't want something." He asked weakly but again Axil shook his helm.

"Save it for someone else." He said before focusing on Nova as she walked up. He held his arm out to her, trembling slightly from lack of use and she gently took it, examining the patchwork welds coving his arm and servo.

Ratchet watched her for a moment before refocusing on Sterling.

"I have to call Copper." He said softly.

"Ah was afraid o' tha." He said with a scowl. "Ya want meh 'round?"

"I don't think so." Ratchet said, shaking his helm. "I need him in a good mood. And no offence, but you cycling air is enough to put him in a bad mood."

The silver miner chuckled, nodding slowly before sobering. "Wha' bout 'Rachnid? She'd 'ave supplies wouldn' she?"

Ratchet shuddered before giving the silver mech a look.

"Besides the fact that she's probably diluted everything, Vortex tried to _terminate_ me, remember?" He said with a dark look. Sterling growled, his armor flaring.

"Yeah Ah remember." He said quietly. "Ah'll rip 'is spark out next tahm Ah see 'em."

"No you won't!" Ratchet snapped, louder than he intended. "We're short on supplies or did you miss that little detail."

Sterling didn't reply but ground his jaw.

"Stay the frag out of fights." Ratchet continued, lowering his voice when Axil glanced his way. "I'm serious Sterling, we can't afford for anyone to get hurt and as glitched as your pain grid is, someone breaths on you too hard and you'll be on the ground convulsing."

"It's not tha' bad." He muttered and Ratchet scowled.

"Yes it is, you're just getting used to being in pain all the time." He said bluntly.

"Wait, wha's tah designation o' tha little jumpy mech tha' 'Rachnid send's 'ere?" He asked, turning to Ratchet.

"Swindle?" Ratchet replied. "What about him."

"Wha' if ya asked 'em tah test tah waters." Sterling suggested. "Weh both know ya can' avoid tha' place fo' ever. Get 'im tah find out why she sent tha' cloudsuck'a aft'a ya."

Ratchet frowned but knew the mech was right.

"Caught between the smelter and a hard place." He muttered dryly before glancing at the mech. "And what if I get seen before I have a chance to talk to Swindle?"

"Ah could track 'em-"

"Sterling I said no!" Ratchet interrupted and nearly jumped out of his armor when Sterling suddenly grabbed his arm. Hard. He gasped at the mech's tight grip as the bigger mech roughly dragged him outside and around the side of the building where he shoved him up against the building. Sterling didn't let him go but leaned closer to Ratchet.

"Ya fraggin' aft!" He hissed. "Chrome's made enemies an' as much as ya want tah prevent it there will beh spilt energon!"

Ratchet stared at the mech in alarm as Sterling continued.

"Ah get tha' ya don't wan' tah see any o' us 'urt bu' fo' cryin' out loud Ratch, ya gonna get us _all_ off'ed if ya don' let us take chances! Axil's in there with ah mangled arm fo' Primus sake!"

"What in pit are you talking about Chrome's made enemies." Ratchet demanded, keeping his voice low.

"Mech used tah move around ah lot mo' before ya came." Sterling replied. "Ee 'elped ah lot mo' then just tah gang. Lot 'o mechs 'ppreciated it. Weh didn't take nearly as long tah recover from accidents 'cause Chrome put us back together an' tah bosses started gettin' jealous. Ah couple started complainin' tha' they didn' 'ave their own medic or worse, tha' they didn' 'ave Chrome. Some 'ad tah mood tha' if they couldn' 'ave 'im, neither could weh."

Sterling finally released him and backed off, his piercing gaze drifting off toward Iacon.

"When Ti'an stabbed 'em," he said after a moment. "Tha' wasn' tah first tahm 'ee nearly terminated bein' 'ttacked like tha'. Tha's why 'ee sticks around closer tah 'ome. Course, now teh mad tha' 'ee don't leave 'ere an' mo' mechs are off'in'."

"You can't win." Ratchet said quietly.

Sterling glanced back at him and his gaze hardened.

"Within ah cycle, everyone in Iacon's gonna know Chrome's in tah stocks an' they gonna come aft'a us because o' it." Sterling continued. "Ah bet mah spark on it. Ya need tah know if ya on 'Rachnid's 'itlist o' not an' if ya are, 'ow tah get off it. Copper may give ya tah credits, though Ah doubt it, but ya still need tah Market."

Ratchet didn't say anything and had to glance away from Sterling's piercing white glare.

"Ya may think Ah'm ah few bolts loose but Ah ain't suicidal." Sterling said. "Ah'll find Swindle an' ask 'em what tah frag is goin' on. Tha' way our only _medic_ isn't in immediate danger an' weh find out if ya can ever go back tah get supplies tha' weh _all _need."

"Sterling if Vortex catches you…" Ratchet trailed off. "I know you're one pit of a scary mech but-"

"Ah can 'andle mahself Ratch." Sterling continued straight faced. "Ah ain' startin' anythin' bu' Ah 'ave ah gang an' more importantly ah mate Ah _will_ fight fo' if it comes down tah it."

"That's what worries me." Ratchet said softly.

"Ya talk tah Copper, Ah'll deal with Swindle." Sterling said firmly, leaving no room for argument. "An' tah sooner tah bett'a fo' everyone."

"Alright!" Ratchet snapped. "I'll talk to him this orn."

"Good." Sterling said, visibly relaxing his semi-aggressive posture. "Ah'll track 'em down tonight. Carmine's working' tah late shift anyways."

The silver mech started to turn away before glancing back at Ratchet. He subspaced something before tossing it in Ratchet's direction. He automatically snagged it and glanced down at a small bottle of clear liquid. His spark dropped.

"Novrin." He whispered before glancing up at Sterling. "Why the frag do you still have this?"

"Ah've been cuttin' back on it." Sterling replied. "Pain grid don' bother meh as much."

"That's because you're getting used to being in constant agony. No wonder that shot put you down like that." Ratchet snapped. "How the frag are you even walking!"

"Ah ain't takin' drugs tah rest o' mah life." Sterling cut in. "Not ah chance, Ah ain't got enough life left in meh tah make it worth it. Give tha' tah Axil. 'Ee needs it ah pit load mo' then meh."

"Sterling-"

"Axil's got most o' 'is life ahead o' 'im." Sterling cut in again. "Weh all know 'ee's got potential an' if anyone 'as ah chance o' gettin' out o' this livin' pit, it's 'im. If ya 'ave tah, pin 'em down but make 'em take it. Don' let 'em throw 'is life away trying tah stay down 'ere with tah rest o' us."

Ratchet didn't say anything as Sterling turned and left but he tightened his grip in the small glass bottle. His jaw set hard enough to creak he walked back into the medbay. Axil was visibly tenser and somehow he doubted that it was because Nova was still there. That mech's hearing was unbelievable. He probably heard most if not everything. He glanced at Ratchet, his armor pulling tighter and Nova turned to glance at him.

"I was just waiting for you to get back. I didn't even realise you'd left." Nova said, walking over. "Everything alright?"

"I… guess." He said after a moment, forcing himself to relax.

"I need to get going though, I work this afternoon." She said with a shrug before turning to glance at Axil. "It was great talking to you Axil, I hope I get a chance to talk to you again."

"It was nice talking to you too Nova." Axil replied with a smirk.

"I'll see you around then." Nova continued, turning back to Ratchet before walking past him and out the door. As soon as the tarp had fallen back into place, Axil's smirk fell. The mech glanced away as Ratchet walked over, curling his arm protectively against his chassis.

"Ratchet don't, I don't need it-" He started to say as Ratchet filled a needle.

"Sterling is in agony because he gave this slag up." Ratchet said bluntly, holding the needle up. "Don't let that pain be in waste."

Axil didn't say anything as he refused to meet Ratchet optics. After a moment he uncurled his arm and Ratchet gently took his wrist before inserting the tip into a fluid line in his bracer. Ratchet ignored the twisting in his tanks at the relief on the mech's faceplates as the painkiller instantly went to work.

xxXXxx

Sterling kept his optics closed as he leaned against an alley wall, his arms crossed over his chassis. The pain still burning though his frame was getting easier to ignore but it was still there. It was a horrible cycle as if he activated his sensors, the pain went away as his hunter coding kicking into overdrive. But as soon as the coding died, the pain came back even worse.

Now, he let his hunter coding take over, letting the coding numb everything and yet sharpen everything to a razor point.

He sensed Impactor long before he heard the mech and he only onlined his optics when the mech came around the corner.

"So what's this I hear about hunting down a mech?" He asked with a slightly concerned smirk. Sterling shrugged, glancing away and letting his white optics drift over the few mechs still wandering around the docks this late at night.

"Aerial 'ttacked Ratchet an' Ah want tah know why." He said simply before glancing at Impactor out of the corner of his optic. "Normally Sandy's mah 'untin' partn'a but 'ee ain't 'ere an' Ah figured ya could use some excitement."

Impactor gave the other big mech a feral grin before easily slumping against the wall beside Sterling.

"So what's the designation of this little grease slick we're looking for?" He asked, also scanning the crowd.

"Swindle." He replied and Impactor curled a lip plate in disgust.

"I don't even like the sound of the mech and I haven't even met him yet." Impactor said before glancing at Sterling. "Anyone to look out for?"

"Probably." Sterling said and Impactor barked a laugh.

"Just like old times." He said with a grin. "You going looking for trouble and me following along to bail your aft out of the stocks."

"Ah was bailin' ya aft out ya glitch." Sterling replied, smacking the mech upside the helm as he straightened. "Rememb'a when ya went aft'a Ross's femme? Ah thought 'ee was gonna feed ya tah teh Predaqueen."

"He nearly did." He grumbled, falling into step beside Sterling. "I still have the scars from that bite she gave me."

"Tha's why ya got tah sweet talk tah femmes." Sterling continued. "Then ya don' 'ave tah worry 'bout ah thing."

"Ha! She just liked you because you were as feral as they were."

Sterling gave him another predatory grin before picking up the pace.

"See!" Impactor yelled after him, jabbing a digit in his direction. "_That's_ why nobody liked you!"

He quickly caught up and fell silent as Sterling kept glancing around.

"What's he look like?" Impactor asked, dropping his voice to a low rumble.

"Purple an' yellow stocky mech." Sterling replied just as low. "Ratch said 'ee 'ad purple optics."

"Purple?" Impactor asked in surprise. "I never did trust anyone with funny optics."

"An' ya shouldn't." Sterling said simply.

xxXXxx

Swindle easily slipped out of the side door, careful to make sure nobody saw him slip out. He shut the door softly, then made sure it was locked with a quick hard yank on the handle. With a smirk he tossed the datachip into the air before easily snagging it again.

"Ah Arachnid," he said quietly to himself as he started down the side street. "Your orns are numbered now."

He tossed the datachip into the air again and nearly jumped out of his armor when as silver servo shot out of the shadows to catch it.

He had a gun out and pointed at the mech in an instant, his spark hammering in his chassis.

"Not smart mech." He growled as two white points of light flared to life well above him. "Ah got a lot of friends that will make your life miserable."

"Funny. Ah was gonna say tah same thing." A heavy Polyhexian accent purred and Swindle took a step back as a towering mech stepped out of the shadows. He held the datachip in between his digits and Swindle's spark jumped again.

"So 'ow much ya think's on 'ere?" The mech asked, his earie white optics drifting up over Swindle's helm. The mech spun around to see another equally large mech leaning against the wall behind him.

"Oh, enough to get his spark ripped out probably." The mech said with just the barest hint of a Poly accent. He probably spent time working in Polyhex. "That's my guess anyways."

Swindle suddenly placed the silver mech and grinned, letting his arm go slack and holding the gun pointed up at the sky. The mech's pain grid had been fried if the rumors were right. He wasn't a threat anymore.

"Sterling Silver." He purred, easily falling into his act. "Chrome's mech right?"

"Ah ain't no one's mech." He said with a dangerous grin before casually leaning back against the wall, still eyeing the datachip. To his surprise he held it back out to the mech and Swindle snatched it before the mech could reconsider. "Got ah question fo' ya Swindle."

"What can Ah do for you?" Swindle asked, subspacing the chip in relied. "Chrome send you? Ah can get ya parts for cheap."

"Ain't lookin' fo' parts." Sterling replied, his gaze suddenly snapping up to pin Swindle in place. The mech's white optics had the same unnerving effect that Arachnid's did.

"Oh?" He pressed.

"Why's there a Vosian reject aft'a Ratchet." He said bluntly and Swindle didn't dare react. "Vortex Ah believe."

"Ah know the mech, yeah." Swindle said carefully.

"Why 'ee aft'a Ratchet." The mech said, the threat in his voice far louder than his calm words.

"Don't know wh-"

The mech moved far faster than Swindle ever expected from a crippled mech and he nearly dropped the gun as the mech's servo came around his throat to slam him up against the wall.

The other mech easily disarmed him and Swindle felt the tip of a razor sharp knife press into his chassis as Sterling released him to press a servo against the wall directly beside his helm.

"Woah woah mechs, calm down!" He said, servos up in surrender as he watched the two much larger mechs boxing him in. "No need to get violent."

"Funny, I was looking for a fight." The other mech said simply, examining Swindle's gun. "You promised me a fight Sterling and I'll be mad at you if I don't get into a fight."

"Ah'm not done yet." Sterling replied, shifting the knife up an inch. The knife easily cut into his armor and Swindle pressed himself against the wall harder to get away from that knife tip. "Why's 'ee aft'a Ratchet."

"Look Ah'm just the middle mech." Swindle said, giving the silver mech a winning grin. "Ah just pass on orders, Ah don't know anything."

"Pass on orders?" The other mech asked, perking up a little. "What kind of orders."

"Inventory, who owes who how much-"

The knife slid again and Swindle froze as he realised just how close to his throat it was.

"Ah won't ask again," Sterling growled, armor flaring. "Why's 'ee aft'a Ratchet."

Swindle gave him a disbelieving look but an icy chill shot down his spinal support when he saw the cold, lifeless look in his optics.

"The Boss didn't want him squealing to the 'Forcers." He blurted. "Vortex got himself arrested and she bribed a 'Forcer so that they'd end up in the same cell."

For another spark stopping moment Swindle thought he was terminated when the mech suddenly lowered the knife but kept the blade ready.

"Ee didn' tell them anything." Sterling said before his gaze slid to the other mech. He nodded and Sterling shifted his gaze back to Swindle. "Ratchet will need mo' supplies. 'Ee's willin' tah keep comin' unless 'Rachnid's put ah price on 'em."

"Course she has!" Swindle snapped. "She thinks he spilt everything!"

"That's a problem." The other mech said with a scowl.

"Ow do ya get off tha' list." Sterling demanded.

"Ya terminate." Swindle said with a sneer. "Only way."

"Good tah know." Sterling said with a dangerous grin before he had Swindle by the throat again, easily lifting him off the ground and the knife pressed tightly against his throat. "Not tell tha' mech o' yours tah stand down o' ya loose ya helm."

Swindle's vision swan as energon was cut off to his processor and he clawed at the much bigger mech's bracer.

"Wh-wh't mech." He got out, still trying to get free.

"Tah mech with tah spark damp'na at tah end o' tah alley with ah gun on meh. Tell 'em tah stand down. Ah can off' ya before 'ee puts meh down."

Something about the mech's hissed words convinced Swindle that if he didn't do as he was told, he wouldn't be making any more deals.

"**Onslaught, he knows you there." **He said over the comm, unable to tear his optics away from the mech's dangerous white ones.

"**What?! Impossible. I have a spark dampener." **Onslaught barked.

"**I think he has hunter coding of some kind." **Swindle continued. **"Something's wrong with him." **

"**That's impossi- wait. He's the one with the fried pain grid isn't he?" **

"**Yes and he's throttling the life out of me!" **

"**This could work…"**

"**Onslaught! Do something!" **Swindle practically yelled over the comm as Sterling tightened his grip.

"**Vortex, if you would." **

"Sterling!"

The silver mech was yanked back hard enough that minor fluid lines in his throat tore from the force. Swindle dropped forward, clutching his throat before cursing as the wall suddenly exploded with gun fire.

"Spawn of a-" Swindle spat, diving out of the way as the spray of bullets followed the other two mechs as they took off down the alley.

"**Problem solved." **Onslaught said calmly.

"**Vortex you **_**aft!**_** You almost hit me!" **Swindle yelled, searching his frame over for bullet holes before pressing a servo back against his leaking throat.

"**Nowhere near you glitch. Did you get the datachip?" **Vortex replied and Swindle snarled.

"**Course Ah got the chip."** He snapped. **"Least someone 'round here knows how to a job properly." **

"**Easy groundpounder." **Vortex teased and Swindle heard the sound of the mech's rotor blades cut out as he transformed back to bipedal.

"**Frag off flymech!" **Swindle snapped before nearly jumping out of his armor when the mech suddenly fell from the sky to land directly in front of him with a ground shaking crash.

"Say that again." Vortex hissed, long blade in servo and advancing on Swindle.

"Enough!" Onslaught yelled as he stormed up and shoved Vortex back. With a sneer the aerial backed off, replacing the rotor blade with a growled curse.

"Where's the chip." Onslaught demanded, his red visor locked on Swindle. The mech subspaced it and handed it over to the bigger mech. Onslaught took it before glancing down the alley where Sterling and the other mech had taken off. "You sure about that mech having hunter coding?" He asked.

"Pretty sure. Ah can find out in no time." Swindle replied, watching the mech bigger mech in a mixture of confusion and morbid curiosity. "Why."

"Because we could use someone like him." Onslaught replied simply. "Leave him alone, I want a chance to talk to him."

Swindle snorted, glancing away as he crossed his arms.

"Good luck with that." He said with a smirk. "He's loyal to that Dusty mech up in the mountains. It will take a lot to convince him to come down."

"I think I can come up with something." Onslaught said before turning and walking back the way he had come.

xxXXxx

Ratchet watched as Copper stormed off, his armor flared and the annoyance and anger all but radiating off the Elite. As soon as the mech took off Ratchet sank down into Chrome's office chair with a groan, dropping his helm into his servos.

Well that had gone well.

Copper hadn't taken his helm off so that was a start. Unfortunately, Sterling had been right and Copper was more likely to sprout wings and fly off then to give them more credits. Even if Sterling was going to track down Swindle, it still didn't fix the problem of being completely broke. All he could hope for was that they wouldn't need anything until Sterling could go on another run and get the gang's pay. Then he could start restocking, proving of course Arachnid wasn't out for his helm.

Straightening slightly, he subconsciously glanced toward Iacon and where he knew Sterling was no doubt prowling the streets looking for the stocky mech.

"For Primus' sake, don't get yourself off'ed." He mumbled quietly.

xxXXxx

"Fraggin spawn of a fraggin glitch!" Impactor swore as they dove into another alley and stopped to catch their breath. "What the frack was that all about?!" He demanded as he collapsed onto a crate, fans running full power.

"Ah don't know." Sterling panted, shaking his helm as he struggled to get himself under control. "Ah don' know."

"So now what." Impactor demanded hotly. "If they're out for Ratchet's energon-"

"Tha's wha' bothers meh." Sterling interrupted. "Tha' doesn' make sense. If ya wan' someone offline ya do it yaself. Why risk 'em telling mo' 'bout 'er stuff. An' why shoot us?"

"You think it was that datachip they were twitchy over?"

"Might 'ave been. But weh 'ave no idea wha's on it." Sterling continued. "Ah feel like weh just kicked ah scraplet nest by accident."

Impactor snorted loudly, leaning back to bang his helm against the wall.

"How many times did we-" He started to say before Sterling went rigid.

"Ee's back!" He snarled, armor flaring in the way Impactor knew meant someone was going to terminate.

"Sterling…" He growled, straightening as he watched the mech. "Sterling, Ratchet is going to _murder_ you!"

"Only if Ah get 'urt." Sterling replied, optics flashing as he glanced up.

"What the frag are you up…too…" Impactor trailed off as the mech slunk off. "Sterling! Sterling get back here! Aw frag, Ratchet's gonna terminate us both! Ster-ling!"

* * *

**What? Sterling listening to someone? Never. Oh boy, what's he up to now. :)  
**

**Read and Review! Love you!**


	42. Protector

***checks pulse...* Yep. I'M ALIVE!**

**Holy cow this feels AMAZING to be able to post again and my word i LOVE this chapter! I think it is my new favorite one. **

**So enough writing, REVIEWS!**

**Rougue9496: Oh you ain't seen nothing yet. Boys (or mechs) will be boys and if someone says don't poke it, they will. **

**AutobotGiy710: Yeah probably. Heck, he ain't even met the twins yet and the gang's just about enough to put him over the edge. Oh man i love this. **

**Guest: I'm glad you liked it. Sorry i disappeared for so long but I've got a lot of stuff coming up for this story so i promise you you'll want to stick around. **

**WhitePhoenic357: Nope. Nope he won't. And nobody (but me) even knows what Sterling did this time. **

**Child of Jon Snow: Happy belated! And if you thought the last chapter was exciting, hold onto your hat it's gonna get good. **

* * *

Ratchet gave Sterling a dark look the moment the mech had set ped inside the medbay.

"Good news is tha' ya ain't on 'Rachnid's 'itlist." Sterling said before leaning up against the wall causally and giving Ratchet a smirk.

"How do you know?" He asked with a frown. "Swindle could have lied."

"Well, actually-" Impactor said as he came inside but cut himself off as Sterling elbowed him in the tanks and gave him a dirty look.

"What." Ratchet demanded, his armor flaring as his gaze shifted between the pair.

"Nice goin' 'Pact'a." Sterling growled and Ratchet's gaze snapped to him.

"What happened." He demanded again, fear instantly replaced with a sense of dread. "What did you do."

"Nothin'!" Sterling replied a little too fast and Ratchet gave him a dark look, arms crossed over his chassis. The silver mech held it easily like nothing was the matter and Ratchet turned the glare on Impactor.

"Swindle said you were." He muttered before yelping when Sterling jabbed him again.

"What?!" Ratchet yelled in alarm.

"Weh talked tah 'Rachnid 'erself." Sterling cut in quickly. "She was furious. She didn' know ya'd been 'ttacked."

"What do you mean she didn't know?! Vortex _works _for her!" Ratchet demanded. ""He said that she'd sent him!"

"Af'ta weh left an' she said ya weren't, weh 'eard 'er cursin' Swindle tah teh pit an' back." Sterling replied calmly. "Pretty sure she was swearin' at Vortex too. When weh 'ad confronted Swindle 'ee was acting suspicious. 'Ee had ah datachip tha' 'ee was awful protective of. Nearly 'ad ah spark attack when Ah grabbed it."

"What does that have to do with me."

"Ah don' think 'ee was supposed tah 'ave tha' chip." Sterling said with a shrug.

"What about that third mech you sensed?" Impactor asked before glancing at Ratchet. "Swindle was there, but there was also another mech besides that helicopter causing you issues. I never knew the mech was there but Sterling-"

The mech jabbed him again and Ratchet snarled.

"You used your coding again!" He demanded, pressing a servo against his forehelm instead of throttling the mech. "What the frag happened!"

"Nothin'!" Sterling insisted.

"Impactor…" He growled, glaring at the other mech.

"I don't know what's going on!" He said, servos up in surrender. "But Sterling made a comment that if Arachnid wanted you offline she'd have done it herself. You do know a lot so why would she take the risk of letting someone else take care of you."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better." Ratchet demanded.

"I'm just saying he has a point." Impactor said with a shrug. "If it was so important to terminate you she'd have made sure it was done properly."

"So what was going on." Ratchet asked, glancing at Sterling. "You think Swindle was going to try and take over? I know he's tried to offer me deals."

"Might beh." Sterling said with a shrug.

"He may be smart but he doesn't have the force to hold that position. Not like Arachnid does. She scares mechs, Swindle just kinda annoys them." Ratchet said with a frown.

"But if that aerial, Vortex, is with him and that other mech in the alley…" Impactor trailed off, eyeing Sterling. The silver mech snorted, shaking his helm.

"Any plans they may 'ave 'ad with Vortex might beh ah little delayed." He said with a grin.

Ratchet stared at him in alarm, then back to Impactor then back to Sterling.

"What did you do." He demanded before jabbing a digit at Sterling. "And quit distracting me!"

"Ah didn't get in ah fight." Sterling said simply, crossing his arms over his chassis.

"What did you do." Ratchet repeated, dread tightening around his spark like a vice.

"An' Ah didn' get 'urt." He continued. "Just like Ah promised ya."

"_What_ did you _do_."

"He threw a pipe at him." Impactor growled, glancing away as Sterling shot him a murderous glare. "Took him right out of the sky too."

"You did _what_?!" Ratchet yelled, his voice hitting a pitch even he didn't know was possible.

"Ratch, calm down-" Sterling started to say, servos out to try and calm the other mech down.

"Are you _fraggin' insane_?!" He yelled, servos itching throttle the mech.

"That's what I was wondering." Impactor muttered only to wince when Ratchet gave him a smoldering glare.

"Why didn't you stop him!" He yelled. "You were right there!"

"Hey, I told him it was a glitched idea-"

"You took out Vortex!" Ratchet yelled again, snapping back to Sterling. "What were you thinking?!"

"Ratchet ya overreacting-" Sterling tried to say again.

"Overreacting?!" Ratchet yelled, spinning away from the mech before he could break every string of coding he possessed and _murdered _the idiot. "He's going to fraggin murder _you_ if _I _don't do it first!"

"Codin' won' let ya." Sterling said with a smirk.

"Coding be fragged!" Ratchet yelled, spinning back to the mech and clutching his helm. "Sweet Primus I'm as good as scrap! I can't believe you're glitched enough to take him out of the sky! I told you not to get into a fight!"

"Tha' was no fight. Tha' was totally one sided. 'Ee didn' stand ah chance." Sterling replied with an offended huff.

"One sided?!"

"It's actually surprisingly easy to take a helicopter down." Impactor said with a shrug. "They don't glide like seekers and you don't have to worry about the rest of the trine. You just have to duck when their rotor blades tear off in every direction. They're sharp."

Ratchet gave him a wide eyed look, opening and closing his mouth but nothing came out.

"Ya broke him." Sterling said, giving Impactor an unimpressed look as he crossed his arms over his chassis.

"_I _broke him?!" Impactor demanded with wide optics. "Who's the glitch that took out a military grade _helicopter_?!"

"Hey, 'ee shot first." Sterling said bluntly.

"Get out!" Ratchet yelled, jabbing a digit toward the tarp still covering the door of the medbay.

"Aw come on Ratch, don't be like tha'." Sterling said with a frown.

"_Get. Out._" Ratchet hissed, servos clenched into fists. Both mechs shared a look. "_Now!" _

Impactor was out the door first with Sterling right on his aft as a wrench came flying out after them. As soon as they were gone Ratchet let out a furious yell at their stupidity and the fact that he'd missed that silver idiot.

"Great, now what am I supposed to do!" He snarled to himself. "I can't _believe_ that aft! Attacking Vortex, is that mech insane?!""

"Ratchet?"

"What!?" He yelled, engine snarling. To his alarm it wasn't either of them but another mech not part of the gang.

"I can come back later." Shiftlane said hesitantly, looking like he was going to bolt. "I mean, if this is a bad time-"

"Primus, no, I'm sorry." Ratchet interrupted with a wince, armor clamped tight against his frame in embarrassment. "Just… dealing with a glitch that needs his processor examined and another I'm pretty sure is lacking one entirely."

Shiftlane smirked, nodding slowly in understanding as he hesitantly came into the medbay.

"The two mechs that just came flying out of here like their afts were on fire?" He asked, gesturing back over his shoulder guard.

"Yes…" Ratchet growled before shaking his helm and focusing on something other than that silver spawn of a glitch. "But besides that, I can't think about them right now because I'd probably terminate one of them. How you doing though? You look a lot better. Everything healed up properly?"

"I _feel_ better." He said with a faint smirk. "Still a little sore but I've never felt this good after getting hurt like this. Again, I owe you my life. Nobody in my gang knows how to deal with serious damage."

"I'm sorry." Ratchet said, knowing where Shiftlane was leading. "I just wish I could have saved your sire."

The mech shook his helm, a pained look crossing his features. It was gone in a moment and he subspaced a datachip.

"My boss asked me to give this to me." He said, holding it out.

Ratchet already had a good idea of what it was and shook his helm.

"Shiftlane, I can't." He said. "I was just doing my job. I don't need payment."

The mech abruptly got tenser and Ratchet stiffened.

"We know Chrome's in the stocks." He said quietly. "I kinda figured that they would trash the place, they've done it to other places before that they've raided."

Ratchet didn't say anything and Shiftlane shrugged.

"Boss kinda figured you'd be low on supplies if you even had anything left when the 'Forcers were done." He continued, once again holding the chip out. "It's not much but it will get you something."

Ratchet hesitated before slowly taking the chip.

"Thank you." He mumbled, unable to meet the other mech's gaze.

"You saved my life Ratchet, it's the least I could do." He said simply with a faint smirk. "I mean, with Chrome in the stocks…" He trailed off and Ratchet winced.

"Does everyone know about Chrome?" He asked.

"Well, if they don't, they will pretty soon. Word like that travels fast." He said with another shrug before glancing back toward Iacon. "But I need to get back. I said I wouldn't be gone long. Boss is still a little twitchy after the riot."

"Understandable." Ratchet said with a smirk. "I'm still jumping at shadows."

Shiftlane started to turn away before hesitating.

"Ratchet if something happens again…" He trailed off before shaking his helm. "Nevermind."

"What?" Ratchet asked, taking a step forward.

"It's nothing, just speakin' before I think." He said with a shrug and a weak smile. "Sire said I was going to get in trouble one orn for opening my mouth without thinking."

"What were you thinking?" Ratchet pressed before realising with a start what he'd been about to ask. "Shiftlane if someone gets hurt, comm me. I'll do what I can."

"Thanks." He said with a faint smile before pushing past the tarp and outside. Ratchet walked to the doorway and watched him leave before glancing down at the datachip he still held. Walking back to Chrome's office, he grabbed a blank datapad and inserted the chip.

It had a couple hundred credits on it. Not a huge amount but enough to buy a little bit of templating and medication. With a sigh, he set the datapad down after transferring the credits over to Chrome's account before standing and leaving the medbay. He had supplies he needed to buy.

ooOOoo

"Ratch, I'm fine." Chrome said as Ratchet stood over him examining his damaged optic.

"Stop talking." He ordered, tilting Chrome's helm to the side to see better in the poor light. The medic huffed, slouching more in the chair with his arms crossed over his chassis like a sparkling. Ratchet made an unpleasant sound in his throat, disliking the too hot feeling of Chrome's plating.

"Ratchet…" Chrome growled and Ratchet threw up his servos with a snarl before collapsing into the only other chair in the room.

"That's infected Chrome!" He snapped with a scowl. "Infected enough you don't need to be a medic to see it! Don't know why they're so against treating it."

Chrome shrugged, a servo ghosting up to touch his damaged optic.

"Paranoid for obvious reasons." He said with a shrug. "Mechs would do a lot just to get a few drops of a potent drug."

"So instead they let this place become infested with viruses." Ratchet grumbled, crossing his arms over his chassis as he glanced around like he could see the vial things.

"Told you, don't worry 'bout me." Chrome said with a shrug. "How's the gang holding up?"

Ratchet gave a loud irritated snarl and Chrome laughed.

"He's lucky I'm a medic or I would _terminate_ Sterling!" He hissed, mindful of the cameras everywhere. "Do you know what that spawn of smelter did this time?!"

"Must have been something to get you riled up like this." Chrome said with a grin.

"He took out-" Ratchet cut himself off before he said something that would get them all in trouble. "_Guess_ who he took out!"

Chrome gave him a confused look before his optics went wide.

"He didn't." He deadpanned. "He's glitched but he's not _that_ glitched."

"Wanna bet." Ratchet shot back.

"Oh Primus." Chrome groaned, dropping his helm into his servos. Abruptly he threw his helm back with another laugh. "Oh Primus I'm glad I don't have to deal with him. Dusty might be looking for a new long hauler."

"He might still need to. If I don't get to him someone else will." Ratchet said before realising what he'd said. Chrome didn't even shift but Ratchet knew him well enough to know he'd tensed. Primus, what if someone did go after Sterling for his glitched move. There was no way Vortex didn't have friends that would be more than willing to take it out of the mech's hide.

"Fraggit." Ratchet growled before swearing again under his breath. "Guess I better get back in that case. Oh, I was able to buy some supplies, we're not totally slagged if something happens."

"And if Sterling did what I'm afraid he did, then you're gonna need it." Chrome said with a frown.

Right on time the guard, Crux, pounded on the door and Ratchet glared at it.

"Meeting's over." Chrome said with a scowl before standing. "I'll see you next time."

"I'll see you round." Ratchet replied with a weak smile as he walked out the door, shot Crux the usual glare, and walked back to Carbon. The mech looked tenser then usual and Ratchet sighed.

"I told you, I can take someone else with me here." He said quietly as they were escorted out. Carbon didn't respond right aways and Ratchet sighed, keeping his helm down as they walked out of the stockade. Most of the guards were getting used to his presence but he still hated the looks they would give him. But the ones that shook him up even more were the ones they gave Carbon. "Carbon, I know this stresses you out, you don't need to keep coming. Let someone else sparkling sit me for a bit." He tried again after a few klicks.

"It's fine Ratchet." The black mech replied after a long moment of silence. "Everyone hates this place, it's not just me."

Ratchet gave the mech a disbelieving look but dropped it. It was obvious this place was effecting Carbon far more than he was letting on. He'd have to ask Dusty when he got the chance. But for now, he was more than happy to stick to the black mech like a second coat of pain.

xxXXxx

Sterling transformed outside of the bar, stretching his sore and tired frame before walking inside. It was near closing time and only three other mechs were still there nursing high-grade.

Lexus glanced up from where she was wiping down a table before giving Sterling a shy smile. Despite how much she flirted with every other mech that came in, she was always shy around him.

"Carmine! Mech's here!" She called out and Sterling smirked as he felt a nudge of affection float over their bond.

"Yeah, yeah, commin'." The femme called back as she walked out of a back room, dusting dirt from her armor. She already had her everyorn set on instead of the thin, gleaming red set she wore at the bar but Sterling still thought she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

"Ah'll see ya next orn Callum." She said as she walked past the old mech and he nodded to them both.

"Ugh, let's go 'ome. Ah need ah shower." Carmine grumbled as she pressed into Sterling's side. He easily slid an arm around the femme, holding her gently as they walked outside. Carmine nudged him away from the street and he happily followed her along the sidewalk.

"Oh? Can ah 'elp?" He asked with a grin. She laughed and he squeezed her to his side in a hug. "Ya know it's 'ard gettin' those tight spots…"

He let a digit trail along the edge of her hipbolt and she twisted away from him.

"Behave!" She ordered, pointing a firm digit at him but the playfulness that swelled the bond said otherwise. Sterling grinned and she leaned against him again as they walked down the street together.

"So, 'ow'd tah orn go?" Sterling asked. "Anyone Ah need tah 'it?"

"Not this tahm." Carmine replied with a smirk. "It was a slow orn so tha' was nice."

Sterling hummed, nodding his helm before a spark signature caught his attention.

He instantly tensed, his arm tightening around Carmine as the hunter coding started to wake up.

"Sterlin'?" Carmine asked, also stiffening at her mate's sudden alertness.

"Sterling!" A mech called out and Sterling rumbled in warming as Swindle walked out of a side alley. "Hold up mech."

"Ah'm not interested." Sterling growled, steering Carmine back down the road.

**|'Oo is tha'.|** Carmine asked over the bond as she eyed the mech over her shoulder guard.

**|Ah little scraplet tha's gonna get stepped on if 'ee don' frag off.|** Sterling replied as the short mech ran up.

"Woah woah, hold on, come on mech." Swindle tried again, keeping pace with Sterling and Carmine. "Ah know we ain't exactly on friendly terms-"

"Friendly terms? Ya 'ad ah gun tah mah helm an' that cloudsuck'a tried tah blow meh an' 'Pacto'a tah pieces." Sterling interrupted with a growl.

"Ok ok, yeah, you're right there. But- wait!"

He darted after them again, running around to stand directly in front of them. Carmine jerked back and Sterling growled as another spark signature showed up on his scanners heading toward them.

"Ah just want to talk." Swindle continued. "Well, a friend of mine does anyway."

Sterling's armor flared as the gunmech from the alley came up behind them.

**|Wha's goin' on.|** Carmine asked, gripping Sterling's servo a little tighter. **|Sterlin' 'oo are they.|**

**|Ah don' know.|** He replied honestly as the coding became a little stronger. **|Bu' there's gonna beh ah fight. Tha' aerial was with them bu' Ah don' sence 'em.|**

Anger started to work its way over the bond as Carmine growled lowly.

Sterling's gaze snapped to the low, throaty engine as the gunmech pulled up. He was another semi like himself but the back end looked wrong. With a start he realised that where the mech's fifth wheel plate should have been, two massive cannons were settled over his triple axils. Fear for his mate flooded his spark even as he growled dangerously, shifting so that Carmine was between him and the wall of the building. The mech transformed in a deliberately slow way and Sterling kept a sharp optic on those cannons that were more than capable of reducing him and Carmine to a pile of molten slag.

The mech was easily the same size and mass with a dark paint scheme that didn't reflect the light. A mask and visor hid his features.

"You must be Sterling Silver." The mech purred in a tone that spoke of spending far too much time around royals.

"Wha'da ya want." Sterling growled, far too aware of his mate beside him and the fact that the mech could probably tear her in half if he wanted to.

"I just want to talk." The mech said in an easy, cold tone.

"Ah don't talk tah faceless mechs or ones tha' pull guns on meh." He snarled. To his surprise the mech's mask slid aside as did his visor to reveal scared faceplates that at one point might have been hadnsome.

"In my defence, all I knew was that some crazy glitched mech had my mech but the throat." He replied simply. "You have a gang, how would you have reacted?"

Mech had a point except who ever had been the attacker would have been offline in a klick.

"Wha'da ya want." Sterling repeated.

"My designation is Onslaught." The mech continued in his smooth voice. "I have a business proposition for you Silver."

Carmine stiffened, shock and confusion rocketing across the bond and Sterling snarled again.

"It's Sterlin'." He corrected and the mech smirked.

"My apologies. You used to go by that designation. In Polyhex right? Straxis to be exact I believe." Onslaught continued. "Grew up there didn't you."

**|'Ow tah frag does 'ee know tha.'|**Carmine demanded, gripping his arm again.

"Wha' else tha' snitch o' yours dig up 'bout meh." Sterling growled as he fisted his servos. He knew if he drew his knifes someone would ended up leaking out.

"That your lovely mate is designated Carmine." The mech said, tilting his helm toward Carmine. "And that she worked at a small bar. Callum's the owner right?"

His gaze slid over to Sterling in a provoking way and his lip plates twisted into a dangerous smirk.

"And that she takes the same route home every time she leaves work." He continued.

"Ya been followin' meh?" Carmine hissed angrily but spark deep fear flooded the bond. Sterling tried to smooth it over, promising to keep her safe but the fear was there. Her sister had been raped in Straxis and she would have been as well if Sterling hadn't found her in time. The thought of a strange mech following her was enough to scare her when overcharged mechs four times her side decided to pick a fight.

Her fear kicked the hunter coding into gear and all his senses sharped to a razor point even as his blades dropped from subspace.

"Not ah smart move mech." He snarled, coding already singling out weak points on the mech's heavy frame. He knew Swindle wouldn't be a frontal threat and set him at the back of his processor. Carmine was a glowing beacon of _protectprotect_ behind him and he tensed.

"I don't know about that." Onslaught said with a smirk.

Carmine yelped and Sterling swung around, aiming for Swindle's helm with a roar. The mech's optics went huge as he jerked back, still holding Carmine's arm in a tight grip. He'd misjudged the mech's height and the knife sliced past him but the second sliced deep across his chassis. Swindle released Carmine as he stumbled back, an arm pressed against his chassis. Sterling spun with the motion, sensors pulsing over Carmine's frame to ensure she hadn't been hurt, and ducked Onslaught's brutal swing. The blow just missed his helm and Sterling pivoted to ram into the other mech. He managed to twist slightly but was already off balance and he went down, Sterling's knife already digging into his throat cables and the silver mech on top.

"Ah don' know 'oo tah pit ya think ya are but ya stay away from mah mate." Sterling snarled, feeling the mech's life pulse against the knife blade. Energon was already dripping from his throat as it took every ounce of self-control he possessed to keep from tearing the mech apart with his bare servos.

Onslaught smirked and it was such an unexpected reaction that for a slit nano-klick the hunter coding screeched to a halt.

"You're just the mech I need." He purred.

He'd let him win.

It dawned at him the same instant the mask and visor snapped back into place. Onslaught grabbed his knife servo and brought his other servo up into Sterling's chassis with crippling force. The blow connected with one of the sensor clusters that covered his frame and it left him feeling like his frame had exploded even though his heavy armor. Another punishing hit to the same sensor cluster had him rolling off the mech, his vison white with feedback. His frame wasn't working as it seized up on him and when his vision finally cleared, the mech was back on his peds with a gun aimed at his helm.

Carmine's stark terror flooded the bond again and Sterling saw Swindle with an arm around his mate, a knife at her throat.

"For bait metal you fight pretty good." Onslaught said easily. "I'm impressed. That coding sure kicks on and off fast doesn't it. Threats to family set it off I'm guessing? Or is it any threat?"

Sterling snarled, servos braced claw-like on the ground as every string of coding in his frame tightened to snapping point.

"Wha' do ya wan' from 'im." Carmine demanded, red optics livid and hiding the fear in her spark.

"Oh, just need him to do me a favor." Onslaught said, not taking his attention off of Sterling.

"Wha' kind o' favor."

"I just need him to do what he does best." He replied. "Hunt."

The jolt of horror across the bond made Sterling flitch even as boiling rage flooded after it.

"Ee's not ah murderer!" Carmie snarled before driving the short double edged dagger she always carried deep into Swindle's side. The mech screeched in pain as Carmine twisted free. Onslaught's attention wavered for just a moment and that was all Sterling needed.

The coding roared through his frame at the sight of energon on Carmine's neck and Sterling lunged at The Threat.

He grabbed The Threat's bracer, forcing it's arm to the side. Threat instinctively pulled the trigger but the shot went wide. Without hesitating Sterling easily twisted Threat's arm behind it's back. He'd already figured out that The Threat's shoulder joints had a smaller range of motion because of it's heavily reinforced back and shoulder guards. Threat grunted as it's arm was forced past it's range of motion and stumbled as with a sickening pop, Sterling wrenched it out of place. Without hesitating or even slowing down Sterling subspaced his knife, sinking it deep into the exposed joint and tearing through protoform and fluid lines. Fluid poured from the deep wound and with a furious snarl, he kicked Threat away from him before it could retaliate.

A howl of pain escaped Threat as the few wires and fluid lines still intact tore free, spraying hot fluid over Sterling's chassis and faceplates. Threat dropped to it's kneebolts with a keen, servo clutching the mangled shoulder joint as Sterling threw The Threat's arm to the ground beside it.

He was panting hard, vents running at full power as the hunter coding ran unrestrained through his frame. The Threat was down, badly damaged and leaking out. Energon covered him in hot victory and he snarled.

_Finishfinishdowndown_

He took a step toward Threat, knife raised-

_Finish-_

**|Stop.|**

A softness nudged him and he froze, still snarling as he followed the softness to his own spark, then across the bond to another, even warmer spark. Carmine.

**|Stop.|** She repeated over the bond and just as fast as the coding had taken over, he was back in control, forcing down the screaming desire to finish the mech off.

He grabbed Onslaught by the collar strut, pulling him upright and he snarled into the mech's stunned faceplates.

"Coddin' goes off when ev'a Ah wan' it tah." Sterling hissed, baring his denta in a threat. "Stay away from mah mate."

Onslaught jerked his helm in a nod and Sterling dropped him.

"Get out o' mah sight befo' Ah terminate ya." Sterling snarled, armor flexing to create a low, warning rattle. Onslaught's gaze flickered and Sterling hurled his knife the same instant the mech grabbed for the gun he'd dropped.

The blade slammed into the gun's trigger guard, pinning it to the ground and nearly taking a few of Onslaught's digits with it. The mech's own energon dripped from the knife blade and Onslaught stared at it for a nanoklcisk before his gaze snapped to Sterling.

"What are you." He asked in a low voice, almost a whisper.

"Xactly wha' ya wanted." Sterling snarled, armor hissing in warning. "Ah monst'a."

The mech nodded and his gaze slid to where Swindle was cowering against the wall, a servo pressed to the knife wound in his side. He nodded and started limping backwards, optics never leaving Sterling. He hissed again, baring his denta and Swindle dropped his gaze, slinking backwards.

Motion caught his still razor sharp attention and he gave Onslaught the same feral glare as the mech reached for his detached arm.

"Tell Vortex 'ee goes aft'a mah pack again an' 'ee'll lose mo' then just 'is rotors." Sterling hissed and Onslaught stiffened before nodding as he dragged his arm closer to him. Slowly he got to his peds and backed away.

"Sterlin'?" A soft voice asked and the coding bucked again as he realised someone was behind him.

Sterling spun to the sound with a low snarl before his spark kicked him hard.

_Protectfamilypackbrothersmate_

"Sterlin'?" The femme repeated and Sterling shook his helm hard, forcing the coding down as he focused on the warmth and love spiraling around his spark and the scuffed, beautiful femme it was coming from. Carmine was in front of him and then her servos were on his shoulder guards, then moving toward his neck and the coding surged.

His spark kept him from moving as the warmth spread through his frame.

She wrapped him in fierce hug and despite the coding fighting it, he returned the hug, craving and needing the warmth that was pulsing from her spark into his cold one.

"It's ok Spark." She whispered into his audio. "Everythin's ok. Ah'm safe. Ya can come back now."

Sterling surrendered himself to the warmth in his spark and the coding finally went dormant as his love for his mate overpowered it. But with the coding went the numbing effect.

With a cry of pain he dropped to his kneebolts, shaking as fire raced over his frame. It was like his pain grid shorting out all over again and he struggled to keep from screaming in pain. His servos were once again covered in energon and a weak whine escaped him as he realised that it had happened again. Carmine touched his cheek and he flinched away from her touch. Too many emotions were still rolling over the bond, most from him and he couldn't handle it.

**|Tha's why Ah'm 'ere.|** Carmine said softly kneeling In front of him to cradle his helm in her servos. He couldn't bring himself, a dirty, filthy monster from the back lands of Polyhex with a helm full of viruses to even look at such a beautiful femme.

**|Aw Spark… Ah'll always love ya.|**

She gently forced his helm up to look at her and he finally dragged exhausted dull optics to her pained red ones.

"Ah will always love ya no matt'a wha'." She repeated before leaning forward to place her lip plates on his in a soft kiss.

The fire that burned through his frame was different and he returned the kiss like a starving mech.

"Ah owe ya everythin'." He whispered in a cracked voice as tears streamed down his faceplates. "Ah don' deserve ah femme like ya."

"An' Ah don' deserve ah mech like ya." Carmine countered, tears in her own optics before she hugged him fiercely. "Mah protect'a."

* * *

**Oh Sterling, you poor broken mech. Man, the more i write the guy the more i love him. Easily my favorite OC that i have. *sigh* poor baby.  
**

**Read and Review! Love you all!**


	43. Risk

**I'm back! Yeah! OK, I'm tired, it's late, and i need to work tomorrow so I'll keep it short and sweet. **

**Reviews!**

**Graceful-rain: I'm glad you like it that much. I hope you like what's all to come. **

**Nightravenmagic: I'm so glad you're enjoying it. Ratchet's grown on me since i started this so i'm glad you like it as much as i do. **

**Tildawn: Ok, give me a little bit of wiggle room. I DO know that if rotors are off balance/ damaged, a helicopter (military or otherwise) will go down, end of story. Now if you want to think scale size, don't forget he and Sterling are the same mass (roughly comparing an empty Black Hawk helicopter at 11,000 lb and a tandem axil semi at 18,000) Even if the pipe was the size of a baseball bat in comparison, it would do enough damage to the blades he would go down. Think a ten foot metal beam chucked at a helicopter. It would do damage. Add in the total surprise attack edge _and_ the fact that he would have been flying low looking for them, he didn't have a lot of airspace to catch himself. But yes, Sterling is one heck of a good shot :) But yea your right. I'm not positive but the concept is hilarious and SO something Sterling would try. **

**Carmine bonded to a kick ass mech, you can bet she picked up a few things from him as well. And yes, i saw all the reviews. Thank you :)**

**Anodythe: No spoilers but they'll be hanging around for a long time yet.**

**Child of Jon Snow: Here's the next chapter and it's still January!**

** Fireice. Id: Sorry for any misunderstandings, the Twins will show up, they do play a major role , but not for a very long time. I have to finish this chunck of the story first before they come along. **

* * *

Ratchet gave Jigsaw a murderous glare and the mech froze, one ped still braced behind him as he prepared to take a step back.

"Uh, I'm positive there's something in the mine I need to do." He said, finishing the backward step but not taking another as Ratchet turned to fully face him, servos on his hipbolts.

"Nice try." Ratchet said with just the barest hint of a growl.

"You sure? I'm quite positive I forgot to do something." Jigsaw tried again as he took another step back.

"Stay where you are glitch, I'm probably gonna need your help scraping him off the cliffs." Ratchet snapped.

"Cliffs?" Carbon echoed with a dark look that Ratchet could only label as haunted. "Ratch, that thing blows up it's gonna take us with it."

"Joy." Ratchet grumbled darkly, crossing his arms over his chassis. He refused to allow what the black miner had said take root in his 'worst case scenario' pile of thoughts but it was already there.

"Would one of you give me _some_credit?!" Axil yelled, his voice muffled from the heavy plate metal that made up the shell of the mobile drill. He was half way inside the engine compartment banging a few last things into place. "I do know what I'm doing!"

"Yeah, sorry Axil, not that I doubt you or anything but I like my armor intact." Jigsaw replied and Axil finally climbed out of the old machine streaked with black grease. He glared at Jigsaw and the mech shrugged before he turned his attention toward Iacon.

"Sterling should be back by now…" He muttered before turning back toward the drill.

"Yeah, what did you do to my mech?" Dusty asked from where he had been silently standing a few feet away.

"Huh? Oh, he said he was getting fuel." Axil said simply before diving back into the engine compartment.

"Fuel?!" Dusty squawked, optics huge. "For fraggin' sakes Axil I told you not to spend a fortune on that thing!"

"I didn't!" Axil objected, popping out again. "Sterling said he'd take care of it and I'm smart enough not to ask what he meant by that."

"Oh for fraggin' sakes…" Dusty groaned, a servo going to his nasal ridge in the start of a processor ache. And immediately cringed when an air horn blasted out behind them. Everyone spun to see Sterling pull up onto the plateau with a nerve-rackingly rusted tanker trailer.

Impactor was perched on top and waving like an oversized sparkling as Sterling pulled to a stop.

"Ya miss us?" He called out as he slid off the top of the trailer, a shower of rust flakes following him.

"Did you get it all?!" Axil demanded, running up and looking excited enough to put Ratchet on edge.

"Tha' should beh all o' it." Sterling said as he unhook and transformed, holding out a datapad to the twitching mech. Axil snatched it, scanning over it faster than Ratchet though possible before darting over to the trailer with a whoop.

"What's in there and how the frag is that thing road legal?" Ratchet asked, eyeing the explosive symbol barely visible under all the rust.

"Industrial grade shuttle fuel." Axil pipped up, popping his helm around the back of the trailer before disappear again. "Bout 9000 gallons or so. Won't run it for very long but enough to at least get it going."

"Industrial…" Dusty trailed off with a strangled sound and when Ratchet glanced at him he was massaging the sides of his helm and Carbon looked like he was going to be sick. He watched the black mech for a moment and realised he'd hardly spoken a word since Axil came bounding into the mine saying he'd nearly gotten the drill working.

"**Bad memories?" **He asked over a private comm and the mech jerked like it had surprised him. His gaze snapped to Ratchet before dulling out again.

"**Bad memories." ** He replied softly.

"Would you mind heading to the medbay and grabbing my other medkit?" He asked out loud and the mech stiffened slightly. "You might need to look for it, I don't remember where I left it after the Enforcers raided the place."

The black mech looked like he was about to object but then his jaw clenched and he nodded, transforming and driving off. Ratchet watched him go before filing that under 'weird thing's I'll never understand about Carbon' and turned his attention back to the current disaster waiting to happen. Axil was back inside the engine compartment excitedly chattering to himself.

"So what did _you_ do to Sterling?" Dusty asked in a low voice and Ratchet nearly jumped out of his armor.

"What do you mean?" He asked in confusion, glancing at the silver mech where he stood casually leaning against the trailer with a smirk on his faceplates.

"Oh come on Ratch, don't tell me you haven't noticed it?" Dusty said with a scowl, glaring at the slightly taller mech. Ratchet gave him a look before glancing back at the silver mech.

"He's high strung." Ratchet finally said after a moment as he studied the mech. "Actually, now that you mention it, he has been acting off. High-strung but at the same time, I don't know, mellow? He _has_ been quiet for a few- oh."

"What." Dusty asked.

"I may have completely lost it at him and Impactor." Ratchet said with a wince. "But I didn't think that would cause him to act so… mellow. Or would it have? The idiot deserved it."

"Probably did." Dusty continued quietly as Ratchet scowled to no one in particular. "I don't know. Chrome's torn his fair share of strips off of him, he's got a pretty tough hide."

"Waitaklick, I yelled at him, what five orns ago?" Ratchet asked, his attention locked on the faded red mech. "You notice anything about him then? He was doing a pit of a job avoiding me for maybe two orns."

"He seemed sore." Dusty said after a moment. "More then usual. And he was favoring his side, taking shallow vents you know."

"Huh." Ratchet mumbled, scrutinizing the silver mech until he turned to give Ratchet a confused look. "I dunno. That mech's always acted like he's got a few bolts loose."

"He's not the only one." Dusty said, his voice tighter than before and Ratchet glanced at him to see his attention locked on Axil.

"Aw frag, well, if something happens, duck." Ratchet said as he saw Axil dragging a heavy hose while Impactor hooked the other end up to the back of the tanker trailer.

"Reminded me again where you got that stuff?" Ratchet asked and the silver mech smirked.

"Ah didn'." He replied before glancing away again.

"Fragger." He grumbled before watching Axil nervously as he bolted the hose onto the drill.

"Fill 'er up." He said with a look that made Ratchet twitch even more. Impactor grinned and spun something on the back of the tanker. Axil instantly stiffened, watching something that Ratchet couldn't see, one servo on the hose.

"Aw frag, we're all gonna terminate." Jigsaw muttered, taking a step backwards.

"Relax, I haven't even started it up yet." Axil snapped. "It will take a while, things got a big fuel tank."

"I'm gonna go find Carbon." Ratchet said quietly, glancing at Dusty. The mech nodded before glancing at him.

"Don't take too long, you don't want to miss the fireworks." He said with a smirk and Ratchet rolled his optics.

"I got a feeling we'll see them from the medbay." He replied before talking off. He transformed and drove down to the medbay and was only slightly surprised when he didn't see Carbon. He transformed at the door and pushed the tarp aside to walk in.

"Oh yeah, got to yell at him to fix that." He muttered to himself before he saw Carbon.

The mech was sitting with his back to the counters on the floor, legs pulled up to his chassis. He had his helm down in his arms and his armor pinned tight enough against his frame Ratchet knew it had to be painful.

"Carbon?" He asked in alarm. "Are you alright?"

The mech glanced up abruptly like he hadn't realised Ratchet was there and his armor relaxed a little.

"You alright?" He repeated and the mech nodded before dropping his gaze again.

"That thing really that dangerous?" Ratchet asked, carful to not overstep any boundaries or upset the mech. "I mean, Axil's smart I don't think he'd try and start it if he wasn't positive it wouldn't blow up in his faceplates. He's may get a little excited but he's carful."

He hesitated before taking a step forward as something occurred to him.

"Carbon, this isn't like Kaon." He said softly and the mech flinched like he'd been struck. "Nothing's gonna happen and if something does I'm here."

The mech was still quiet but after a long moment he sighed, flaring and settling his armor as he dragged himself upright again.

"You don't have to come back right away." Ratchet offered, watching the mech.

"I'll be alright." He replied in such a low voice Ratchet almost didn't hear him. "I can work."

Ratchet gave him a funny look at the last comment but let it slide as the mech walked over, his armor still tighter than usual. He kept his helm down as he walked out and Ratchet kept pace with the much bigger mech as they slowly walked back up to the mine. Neither said anything and Ratchet had a feeling Carbon was more than alright with the silence.

Dusty turned to face them as they came back up and Ratchet gave him a faint smile as Carbon stayed farther back.

"Well?" He asked quietly as Ratchet stood beside him.

"I think that drill is bringing up memories of Kaon." Ratchet replied. "I guess it had him a little freaked out. He's pretty quiet all of a sudden. Well, more so then usual."

"Ya know, I've known him almost as long as I've worked underground. He got sent here when my sire was still in charge. The mech never spoke a word."

"Huh." Ratchet mumbled, glancing at the black mech as Sterling moved to silently stand beside him.

"It took a long time before he was comfortable enough around me to talk, let alone anyone else." Dusty continued.

"Why you?" Ratchet asked in confusion and Dusty grinned.

"The mech's three times my size Ratch. I hadn't even gotten my final frame when he came here. I couldn't have been a threat to him if I wanted to."

"Oh, that reminds me." Ratchet said, glancing back at Dusty. "Do you know why that stockade freaks him out so much? I told him he didn't have to keep coming and he spouted some non-sense about it freaks everyone out."

Dusty's face fell and Ratchet's spark dropped into his tanks.

"He did time there." He said just loud enough for Ratchet to hear. "He spent a metacycle in that place. He came out a very different mech, and just when he was finally starting to relax around us."

Ratchet stared at him in alarm, about to demand why when Axil let out a whoop.

"It's done! Impactor shut it off!"

"Gotcha!" The mech called back as Axil disconnected the heavy hose and twisted the fuel cap back on.

"Alright, let's fire this thing up." Axil continued, easily jumping up into the cockpit. Ratchet shot a quick glance at the two mechs to see Carbon watching with dark optics while Sterling looked to be just as nervous.

"Stand back, I honestly have no idea what's going to happen…" Axil muttered to himself as he started messing around with stuff. "Well, here goes nothing."

"Oh boy…" Ratchet muttered, armor flaring subconsciously. The drill made a horrible choking sound, black smoke pouring from the exhaust stacks.

"Primus, the things gonna choke us all." Dusty grumbled as Axil tried to start it again. It made the same horrible sound but with a throatier rumbling. The third time it finally coughed to life with another billow of black smoke.

"Yahoo!" Axil cheered, servos shooting into the air as the coughing steadied into a level roar.

"That's only one part!" Dusty yelled over the noise. Ratchet nodded as Axil refocused. A moment later the massive drill shifted, then started to turn slowly. It began to pick up speed and a high pitched whine filled the air over the roar of the machine.

Axil let it run for a bit before shutting it down.

The sudden silence was just as deafening as the noise and it took Ratchet a moment to realise that it had in fact shut down and that he hadn't blown his audios.

"You crazy spawn of a glitch, I can't believe you got that thing going and we're all still alive." Impactor said after a moment and Axil beamed.

"I know! Actually I am kinda surprise that it went this smoothly." He said with a grin.

"That's… not a comforting thought at all." Dusty grumbled and Ratchet couldn't help but laugh at the sour look on his faceplates.

"Aw, just think of how boring life would be." He teased and Dusty snorted air though his vents.

"Yeah, a nice calm and relaxing job. One can only wish." He growled and Ratchet shoved him.

"You'd miss it." He pressed with a grin and Dusty continued growling before suddenly turning back to Ratchet.

"Don't you have work to do?" He asked, servos on hipbolts.

"Me?" He asked in surprise.

"I'm positive you do." Dusty continued. "Now get lost."

Ratchet chuckled before walking back toward the mine.

"We're alive!" Jigsaw said with a laugh, bumping into Ratchet with a grin.

"Aw, give him a little credit." Ratchet replied, returning the shove. "Come on, Dusty's twitchy and we got a trailer load of crystals we still got to dig out."

ooOOoo

"You know, I'd give just about anything to be anywhere but here." Ratchet said softly to himself. Unfortunately Chrome wasn't there to tell him how glitched he was and more importantly, there to bail him out if something went wrong.

While Sterling had said that he was safe from Arachnid's hitmechs, he didn't know for sure and the anxiety was getting to him. The memory fluxes had kicked in again and he didn't know if he would be able to handle another night of leaking mechs and no supplies.

He was also petrified about running into Vortex. If Sterling had taken out the mech he'd probably only have about half a klick to say his prayers before Vortex ripped his spark out. The good news was that if Vortex got him, at least it would be fast. He had a bad feeling that if Arachnid got to him it would be as fast.

He shuddered as energon dripped from memory files and he refocused on the warehouse just across the road he'd been watching for almost a joor. He'd thought about bringing someone but realised that almost everyone he'd thought of would probably freak out.

Forcing himself to relax, he started toward the warehouse with his spark racing.

To his horror, as soon as the lift doors slid back open he came faceplate to faceplate with Arachnid herself. It was like the femme had been waiting for him and he mentally kicked himself. Of course she knew, she had spies all over the planet fraggin idiot!

"Ratchet." She said in an emotionless tone. "I was wondering when you'd finally come back."

"Arachnid." Ratchet replied, spark hammering in his throat. "I uh, well. I'm sure you know what it's like having someone who wants your helm on a pike."

"Come with me." She said, turning away without another word.

Spark still going a mile a minute, Ratchet hesitated a spilt nano-klick before following the dangerous femme through the various caverns back to her office. So far he hadn't see Vortex, or Swindle now that he thought about it.

"Sit."

He nearly jumped out of his armor at Arachnid's sharp command and without a word, dropped into the chair across from her desk. She easily folded into the chair across from him before tossing a datapad onto the desk where it slid across to Ratchet.

"Look familiar?" She asked.

Ratchet hesitantly reached for the datapad, not sure what to expect, and turned it on. He examined the image before glancing up at Arachnid.

"What happened to him?" He asked. The femme didn't respond and he went back to the image, trying to figure out why it was so important.

It was a close up image of a mech's arm that had clearly been torn off and the socket was badly damaged. Energon still coated the mech's plating and he figured the mech was lucky he hadn't leak out. Unless he was already offline. He shot another look at Arachnid but she was still glaring at him. He went over the image a third time, scrutinizing it closely and realised a few other things. A deep gouge mark had damaged the inside of the joint and it looked like it had been scraped along the inside. Someone had used a knife to pry the joint apart. It looked more like someone had partly cut his arm off, before tearing it the rest of the way off. Looking closer he realised that it had been done with a serrated-

"Oh frag…" He whispered, realising with dread that it would explain why Sterling had been avoiding him.

"That's your mech ain't it?" She asked.

Ratchet didn't respond, not even sure how to without painting another target on the silver mech. He jumped when Arachnid suddenly shot out of her chair, slamming her fists onto the desk with a crash as the extra legs on her back arched over her helm.

"Answer me!"

"Yes." Ratchet whispered, his spark still in his throat as he finally recognised the full on interrogation that was happening. Arachnid wanted answerers and it looked like he was her target. "That looks like Sterling's work. Who was that?"

"One of my security mechs." Arachnid replied in that same cold tone as before. "Swindle been talking to you lately?"

Ratchet hesitated at the abrupt change of topic but when with it, nodding slowly.

"Yeah, he's commed me a few times before." Ratchet replied. "But I never agreed to anything. Chrome's told me never to deal with anyone but you. I don't trust Swindle anyways."

"Smart mech." She said with a smirk before going dangerously serious again. "Your mech talked to him the other orn. What'd they talk about."

"He'd asked Swindle if…" Ratchet trailed off nervously and Arachnid gave him another look. With a sigh he continued. "I thought you wanted me offline when Vortex attacked me. Sterling said he'd find out if there was a bounty on me or not. Sterling… he made a comment about Swindle was acting skittish. He thought that-"

He cut himself off again and Arachnid's gaze sharpened.

"Go on." She growled, turning in her chair so that she was fully facing Ratchet again.

"He thought Swindle might be up to something." Ratchet said after a moment.

"He give any designations?" Arachnid asked.

"Vortex tried to shoot him and another of our gang when they were questioning Swindle." Ratchet explained. "He also mentioned there was a third mech with a spark dampener that had been aiming a gun at him. He didn't know who it was, they had to take off when Vortex started shooting."

"I can assure you that I did _not_ send anyone after you." Arachnid said after a moment and Ratchet had the feeling the interrogation was over. "As for your mech, consider himself lucky."

Ratchet nodded, still feeling a little shaken up. He had no idea what the silver glitch had gotten himself into this time and he had a bad feeling he didn't want to know.

"Well, with all that out of the way, what made you come back?" Arachnid asked easily returning to the smooth tone she'd always used.

Ratchet hesitated again before sighing.

"I need a secondary subspace." He said, meeting her optics.

"A secondary one?" She asked in obvious surprise.

"Yes." Ratchet replied with a nod. "Has to be completely manual, I can't have it showing up on any kind of scans."

"You do know how illegal those are." Arachnid said with a smirk. "We call them smuggler's subspace for a reason."

"That's… kinda the point." Ratchet said with a wince and the femme gave him another look.

"I'd never consider you a smuggler." She said before smirking. "You're too nervous to haul merchandise."

"It's not for that kind," Ratchet explained quickly, "it's… for a medical kit. I… ended up in a situation that I do not ever want to replicate."

Arachnid smirked, rolling her optics.

"Soft spark." She said, eyeing Ratchet in amusement.

"Call me what you want but I still want one." Ratchet replied in a level tone.

"They're painful." Arachnid said straight-faced and getting down to business. "And not just when they're connected. You'll always feel it."

"Doesn't surprise me." Ratchet replied, a servo going to the numb patch on his leg. "But I think I have a good idea how to get past that."

Arachnid gave him a confused look and he quickly explained how the acid round had destroyed the pain grid in his thigh.

"I could work." She mumbled to herself as Ratchet fell silent. "Of course, that brings up another question." She turned to look at Ratchet again. "Who's doing the procedure if Chrome's in the stocks?"

Ratchet nearly choked on the words but finally forced them out. "It would have to be done here. I don't know anyone that could do it without blowing a fuse."

Arachnid eyed him again.

"You must either be insane or desperate." She said with a frown.

"I'm leaning toward desperate." Ratchet replied. "Like I said, I don't want to be in that kind of scenario again."

"If it's just a small one you want, I believe we have some in storage." Arachnid continued. "I'm gonna guess you're paying in whole?"

"Yes." Ratchet replied, his servo tightening against his leg as he realised that he may possibly be going insane. "And the sooner this is done the less likely I am to back out."

Arachnid smirked before reaching for the side of her helm. A moment later there was a single knock at the door and it slid open.

"You called?" Flatline asked, leaning casually against the doorframe.

Ratchet's spark jumped again at the sight of the ex-medic and he forced himself to calm down.

"Any appointments in the near future?" Arachnid asked casually.

"Not for the rest of the orn." Flatline replied before glancing at Ratchet with a smirk. "Don't need any help right now."

"Up to installing a secondary subspace?"

Flatline's optics widened as his gaze snapped back to Ratchet.

"You're joking." He said bluntly. "You?"

"Yes." Ratchet replied, surprised that his voice didn't squeak.

"Huh." Flatline grunted before glancing back at Arachnid. "He serious?"

Ratchet scowled and the femme shrugged.

"His credits." She replied before glancing at Ratchet. "Which I will expect either up front or half now, half after."

"Half and half." Ratchet replied before shooting a nervous look at Flatline. "Half now and half after I make sure I still have all my internals."

The ex-medic barked a laugh that did little to reassure Ratchet.

"Then that will be 250 now, 250 when you online." Arachnid continued with a grin, holding her servo out. Ratchet hesitated just the slightest before forcing his frame to move and drop the datachip into her outstretched servo. She quickly inserted it into another datapad, double checked the funds, then glanced back up at Ratchet.

"Pleasant doing business with you." She purred. "Flatline, treat him well of course."

The mech smirked before gesturing toward the door.

"Of course. Let's get started." Flatline said with a grin that made Ratchet shiver. Flaring his armor as he stood, he watched Flatline carefully as he walked out of the office. While it was a relief knowing Arachnid didn't want him deactivated, the fact that Flatline was going to have his digits in him made his spark race.

"I shouldn't have to tell you this but if your spark is racing like that it makes it harder to sedate you." Flatline said from beside him before clapping Ratchet on the back with a clawed servo. "Relax, I've don't this hundreds of times."

"That's not the problem." Ratchet growled at the other mech only for Flatline to laugh.

"Don't worry, you're more valuable intact." He said and Ratchet's vents skipped. The mech continued smirking as Ratchet forced himself to follow the mech. To his surprise, and relief, they didn't head toward the butcher shop of a medbay Ratchet knew about and instead to another, smaller medbay. The place was far cleaner than the other one and Ratchet realised that this was where the paid surgeries happened. As though reading his processor, Flatline smirked again.

"Don't want to scare off any potential clients." He said, gesturing Ratchet in. Giving Flatline another look Ratchet walked in, glancing around the clean room. The fact the walls weren't splattered with energon helped but he was still nervous and second guessing himself. He wasn't regretting it yet, the energon in his processor wouldn't let him yet, but at the same time, he wasn't ignorant.

This was a _glitched_ idea.

"Care to take a look?" Flatline asked and Ratchet turned to the mech. He was holding up a bar as long as his servo but not even as wide as his digit. All but one of the long sides was covered in fine circuitry and wiring, most of what could only been seen through a magnifying lens.

Ratchet took the slim, fragile bar, looking it over. It looked intact and it didn't have the usual ports to plug into a mech's wiring system. Instead, there was a small catch that he assumed activated the subspace. The catch should sit just on top of his protoform, under his armor. In a best case scenario, it would be a constant nuance.

He didn't want to think about the worst case.

"So if I may be nosy…" Flatline spoke up again and Ratchet glanced at him to see the mech smirking. "What did that mech of your's do?"

"Why?" Ratchet asked, not thrilled to tell the mech anything.

"Because the first night Vortex came in with busted up armor and snapped off rotor blades." Flatline explained. "Looked like he'd taken a hard landing. Then the next night Swindle came in with a deep stab wound to the side and Onslaught had his arm torn clean off. They both looked like they'd seen a sparkeater or Unicron himself."

"Are they alright?" Ratchet asked, avoiding the initial question.

"I made sure they didn't leak out." He said with a smirk before returning to getting supplies.

"What's that supposed to mean." Ratchet demanded.

"Means Arachnid wanted to deal with them before I put them back together. Vortex was fine last I saw him but apparently he was in on something with the other two." Flatline explained. "So I want to know if your mech really did all that damage? The Poly."

"He can take care of himself." Ratchet said with a frown. The ex-medic smirked, giving Ratchet a knowing look.

"Oh come now. Medic to medic-"

"_Ex_ medic." Ratchet cut in and Flatline scowled.

"Fine. _Ex_ medic to medic. I know his pain grid is fried and he still managed to do that?" He asked. "I hate admitting it but Chrome's done a pit of a job with that mech."

"I'll let him know." Ratchet replied. "I'm sure your praise means so much to him."

Flatline gave him a look that spoke volumes of Ratchet's sarcasm before gesturing sharply to the table.

"You'll want to lie down." He ordered and again, Ratchet hesitated before sighing and climbing on. He clenched the edge of the table as an ice cold wave rolled over his frame. It was official, he was insane.

"Ever been sedated before?" Flatline asked and Ratchet nodded.

"Once or twice." He replied. "I haven't reacted to anything yet."

"Good."

There was a sudden, sharp stab in the side of his neck and Ratchet jerked as his vision instantly blurred as something flooded his systems.

"Told you to lie…"

His systems jarred online and Ratchet groaned at the sudden wash of feedback.

"Raatchet…" Someone called in a sing song voice and everything that happened flashed back to the front of his processor.

"You stabbed me…" He rasped, not quite ready to get up yet. "The frag was that…?"

"Yeah, that might have been a bit more potent then what Chrome's willing to use." Flatline replied, his voice steadier as Ratchet's systems fought off the sedative.

"A bit?" Ratchet demanded as he onlined his optics. "That would have knocked out a shuttle."

"It does actually. Works fabulous." Flatline said, coming into Ratchet's limited view. "I can do a diagnostic scan for you-"

"Forget it." Ratchet cut in as he slowly got his arms under him to sit up. His vision swam and he hissed, pressing a servo to his forehelm. "Ow…"

"Everything went well just so you know." Flatline continued and Ratchet glanced at him. "Got a lot of scar metal in there. You said an acid round did that?"

"Enforcer shot me." He said. "I never regained feeling."

"Huh." Flatline grunted and Ratchet glanced at the work the ex-medic had done. The armor on his thigh had been removed, exposing the ugly scaring from the acid. A new weld along the top of his leg cut through the scaring in a straight, clean line. The catch for the subspace sat at the top of the new weld and a quick diagnosis showed that everything was fine. And also that Flatline hadn't mess around with anything. He wouldn't put it past the mech to try something despite what Arachnid told him.

"It's just a simple twist catch." Flatline said after a moment. "It should pop up on you HUD. Oh, and it _will_ hurt."

Ratchet ran a servo over the fresh weld before letting his servo stop over the catch. Bracing himself he gave it a quick twist and gasped as it felt like someone stuck a knife in his processor. At the same time though, the secondary subspace showed up on his HUD.

"Well?" Flatline asked.

"It's there." Ratchet replied, twisting the catch again to disconnect it. The pressure in his helm stopped but there was secondary burning in his leg that he hadn't noticed right always.

"The secondary burning also normal?" Ratchet asked, massaging the heavily scared over protoform.

"Told you, they're not comfortable." Flatline replied. "If you have problems, which are rare but do happen, you can either deal with it yourself or come back. I'd suggest come back because if something does go wrong, you might end up losing your leg."

"Pleasant." Ratchet muttered, swinging his legs off the edge of the table. Flatline handed him back his armor and he replaced it before sliding off the edge. His leg instantly buckled under him and Flatline grabbed his arm the same time he grabbed the side of the table.

"Even if you can't feel it, your leg will be stiff." Flatline said in a warning tone. "I just cut into it remember?"

Ratchet didn't reply as he mentally kicked himself for the dumb aft mistake.

"Credits?"

He gave Flatline a murderous glare as the mech held a servo out with an innocent smile.

"You're an energon- thirsty parasite." He growled, subspacing the other datachip to slap into the mech's open servo.

"I try." Flatline replied, tossing the chip in subspace as he released Ratchet. The mech straightened, testing his leg carefully before putting weight on it. It held but was still sore. As fast as the drug had knocked him out, it was clearing out of his system surprisingly fast and he wondered for a brief nano-klick hoe he could get his servos on it. It could come in handy.

"Till next time." Flatline chirped as Ratchet limped out of the medbay. He stopped before turning back to Flatline. The ex-medic gave a little wave and Ratchet scowled at him before leaving and getting out of that place.

* * *

**Love you all but I'm going to bed. See you all and Happy (belated) New Year! **

**Read and Review!**


	44. Beast

**Holy cow, i don't know when the last time i was on here was but wow it's been a long time. The good news is that i have the next half a dozen chapters planned out, the problem is getting it down on paper. relatively speaking... I'm sure ya'll know what i mean. Anyways, welcome to the part where things go from bad to worse. Love you all and please don't kill me. **

**Ok, this chapter i wanted to try something new so i went for it and that's introducing more of the 'beastframes'. I loved the IDW comic where Fort Max rescues all the animals (don't remember which issue) and i love the idea of robot animals. So, what the heck, i went for it. I like it, and it will definitely lead up to more slag happening during the War era. Which i will get to at some point this century... **

**ANYWAYS!**

**MadnessJonse: I already replied to you but i want to again, thanks for reminding me that i actually need to type and not just stare at my screen going where do i start? Anyways, this one's for you. **

**Guest: I'm so glad you liked it and sorry you had to end at such a point. Don't worry, i haven't given up just a weird cross of writer's block and total overload.**

**AutobotGuy710: STILL ALIVE! Ever watched The Croods? One of the funniest parts of the whole movie... anyways... here's another intense one. **

**Child of Jon Snow: Yes, everyone's insane and the insanity only continues...**

* * *

The good news was that Chrome looked like he was doing better. The bad news was that there had been a guard that was paying far too much attention to Carbon. While getting attention wasn't uncommon, it was the way the big mech had done a double take before grinning like he'd won a lottery. Carbon hadn't noticed the mech and Ratchet had a bad feeling that was a good thing.

It was unnerving to say the least and he was quiet happy to disappear into a cell with Chrome for a bit.

Problem was, they still had to get out, hopefully without that mech catching up to them.

"Well well well, it really is the Pit Spark from Kaon." A low voice said and Ratchet cringed. So much for getting out quietly. He glanced at the guard that had spoken from where he stood off the side with a wicked smirk. Carbon stiffened, finally noticing the mech and his vents skipped before he put his helm down and kept walking. Ratchet could feel the sudden tension in the mech's frame as he watched the other mech frown.

"Hey Pit Spark, I'm talking to you!" He barked and Carbon stopped. Ratchet turned to fully face the mech and instantly didn't like him. Something about him put Ratchet on edge and his armor flared subconsciously as he glared at the guard as he stalked over. After the first two cycles, nobody had paid them much attention.

"I didn't believe anyone when they said you were coming here every cycle." The mech continued, far too cocky and arrogant for Ratchet's liking. "So wha'd you do this time?"

The mech's question made Ratchet's spark jump and he heard Carbon growl lowly. With a start he remembered Dusty's offhanded comment that Carbon had spent time here.

"We didn't do anything." Ratchet spoke up, struggling to keep his voice from betraying his unease. "One of our friends is here and we visit him. Keep him updated about the mine."

The mech glanced down at Ratchet before blowing him off with a huff, turning his attention back to Carbon.

"Still don't talk much do you?" He continued, cocking his helm to the side and taking a step forward. Carbon's engine rumbled lowly in warning that the mech was close enough and he smirked. With a start Ratchet realized he was deliberately trying to get a rise out of Carbon.

"If you'll excuse us, we got work to do." Ratchet growled, flaring his armor in the barest hint of a threat. The mech smirked but didn't say anything and shifted backwards. Carbon was still growling but Ratchet sensed him shift his weight before he started walking away. Ratchet stayed beside him, almost as a shield between him and the guard. The mech was clearly not impressed Ratchet was there and he had a sinking feeling that things might have gotten physical if he hadn't been there.

Carbon was still growling as Ratchet walked beside him but his engine had a rough, crunching sound like he was grinding gears. It was enough to get Ratchet's attention as with an engine that powerful, grinding gears could do a pit load of damage. The guard was stressing him out and the sooner they got out the better. Mechs were staring to stare at them and it was the same predatory way they had when Ratchet had first started coming to see Chrome.

"So that Bait-metal mech still collecting scrap metal?" The mech asked, following them as they walked away. "That's funny. Figured they would have gotten rid of you long time again. Send you back to Kaon where you belong. But then again, you pit sparks always did a good job of taking orders. You're well trained for a pet."

The mech's words were making Ratchet's armor crawl and in relief the doors back outside slid open.

"Jump any good femmes lately?" The mech asked in a low tone and Carbon went rigid. To late Ratchet spun around to try and grab him only for a building shaking roar to explode from the mech as he lunged at the guard.

xxXXxx

Ratchet was still shaking as he tore recklessly up the track to the mine, skidding sideways on the turns as he pushed himself. He slid sideways up onto the plateau and transformed, running for the mine. Dusty was already waiting at the entrance, optics wide in alarm.

"What happened." He demanded.

"Carbon attacked one of the guards." Ratchet panted, vents running at full power and his frame threatening to overheat and throw him into a selion attack.

"What?!" Dusty demanded, optics wide in horror.

"The guard was provoking him and he said something that set him off." Ratchet continued. "He was going to terminate him Dusty, I know it. It took six mechs to pull him off and he was still fighting. Someone hit him and it dazed him but he was still conscious. They threw me out before I could see if everyone was alright. There was so much energon on the ground I don't know if he actually off'ed the mech or not."

"What the frag did he say?!"

"He asked if Carbon had jumped any good femmes lately." Ratchet said softly and Dusty swore. "Why in _Pit_ did that set him off like that!"

Dusty glance away without responding and Ratchet took a step toward him.

"Dusty! He nearly_ murdered_ a mech over this!" He all but yelled. "What the _frag_ did he do?!"

"Couple of groons after he got here…" Dusty said quietly before trailing off. "He attacked a mech before raping and murdering the femme with him."

Ratchet started at Dusty speechless, his processor stalling out in dumb shock.

"I want to say he didn't do it but… Primus, he was so different back then." Dusty continued weakly. "He was dangerous like you wouldn't believe it. There was something about him that put everyone on edge. I mean, there was just something about him that terrified mechs. Myself included at the time. But when he never did anything but work, and I mean that literally, I got over it. The others avoided him like rust plague and if I stuck close to Carbon, they left me alone too. But after he got out of the stockade…" Again Dusty trailed off, shaking his helm.

"What." Ratchet demanded, finding his voice.

"It was like the fire in him had died." Dusty continued softly. "He'd… he'd just given up. I've seen that look far too many times to count and… I was positive we'd find him offline in some corner of the mine."

"Oh Primus…"

"Kaon will terminate him." Dusty said. "He'll never survive going back. If the mines don't off' him the slave driver formechs will."

"Then we have to get him back." Ratchet said simply. "We have to go after him."

"What?!" Dusty blurted. "Are _you _insane!"

"Dusty, murderer or not he's part of the gang!" Ratchet objected. "You've put up a pit of a better fight for something less than this, call Copper, tell him-"

"Absolutely not." Dusty cut in harshly. "Do _not_ tell Copper anything. He's hated Carbon since he stepped off the shuttle, he'll personally ensure Carbon's offline."

"Well there has to be someone-"

"There isn't!" Dusty spat and Ratchet jerked back at the sudden hostility coming off the mech. "There's no one that will help! We're expendable, remember!"

Ratchet remained silent at the mech's outburst before shaking his helm.

"No we're not." He growled lowly.

"Ratchet-"

"We're _not." _He repeated. "Carbon's not replaceable and neither are you, or Ironlock or Impactor. I can't believe you're just giving up-"

He'd forgotten how fast the little fragger moved and before he even realized it, Dusty had slammed him to the ground, a servo around a vital fluid line in his throat.

"Accuse me of giving up on my gang again and I'll rip your throat out." He snarled, optics blazing. "There's a difference between giving up and knowing when there's nothing you can do about it because everyone sees you as bait-metal to be replaced whenever they want."

He didn't dare move even after Dusty released him with a furious snarl and turned his back on him. Hesitantly he got back to his peds, rubbing his throat nervously before he dropped his servo, clenching it in determination.

"I promised Chrome I'd take care of the gang." He said firmly as Dusty shifted to glance at him. "I _promised _him."

"What do you plan on doing." Dusty challenged, the hostility still there. "You said yourself, you don't even know if Carbon is still functional. You have no idea if they threw him on a shuttle, and what shuttle it was, or when it left, or where it's even going!"

"If he's still online I think I know where they're taking him." Ratchet said, holding Dusty's dark optics. "I know where Carbon was sparked."

"How. Even Chrome doesn't know that." Dusty demanded, fully facing Ratchet now.

"When he first took me to see Chrome, the warden wanted to know." Ratchet explained. "Alpha-78 They kept talking about him being a pit spark, and Alpha -78 is a massive open pit mine. That has to be where they're taking him."

"You'll never catch the shuttle." Dusty continued. "And Carbon won't last more than a cycle. Even _I _know it takes longer than that to drive there."

"I don't plan on driving. I know someone with access to a shuttle." Ratchet replied. "If they're game for it."

The hostility bled out of Dusty and the mech visibly slumped.

"You really think you can get him back?" He asked in a tone Ratchet had never heard before. Not even when Avalon had Sterling on his kneebolts had Dusty sounded that weak and desperate. It was a side of the mech that he'd never seen and with a start he saw Dusty as someone else. A young mech, not much older than him, forced into a position where he had to watch the mechs he called family terminate and learn to accept it as normal. That at any point, someone might disappear without a trace and all you could do was hope it was a painless termination and move on.

A horrible thought crossed his processor but he didn't dare voice it. If Dusty so willing to give up on a mech did he still remember the ones that had offlined under him? Piper and Battleship? Even Sandstorm might as well be counted as offline, they hadn't heard from the mech in groons, not since Axil got his sight back.

"I'm gonna get him Dusty." Ratchet promised. "I'm gonna bring him back."

Dusty jerked his helm in a nod, his jaw set and Ratchet saw just the barest flash of hope in his optics. He knew at that moment that if he didn't bring Carbon back, or whatever was left of him, he might as well stay in Kaon. Something about the glow in the mech's optics promised him he'd forever regret breaking that vow.

ooOOoo

Ratchet paced in the dim alley, flinching whenever a pair of headlights passed by. Despite it getting dark outside, he was convinced that he was going to get caught. He hadn't been to the Inner Rings since he ran into his sire at Driveshaft's medbay what felt like ages ago. He'd already been lucky that there had been a dispute between a hauler and an Enforcer that he was able to slip past the roadblock. He still wasn't sure how he was going to get out but he'd take that one step at a time. This entire plan was running on stripped screws and a prayer and Sterling was more likely to sprout wings and fly off to become a priest at Tyger Pax.

But he'd promised Chrome and fraggit if he was going to loose a mech on his watch. Not on his life.

Headlights turned into the alley and he tensed, ready to bolt if it wasn't who he was expecting.

To his relief, the slim femme transformed, glancing around nervously.

"Oh, thank Primus it's you." Ratchet said, releasing the system full of hot air he'd been holding. Nova gave him a half convinced smirk before getting serious.

"So what was so important you had to meet me faceplate to faceplate?" She asked. "Something happened didn't it? With the gang?"

"They took Carbon." He replied. "They're taking him to Kaon."

"What?!" Nova demanded in a low hiss. "What do ya mean they got Carbon! Who!"

"We were visiting Chrome and he-" He cut himself off before realizing that he had no choice but to tell Nova _everything_. If she found out later on, she might back out and it would blow everything. "One of the guards was provoking him and Carbon attacked him."

"Oh Primus, are they alright?" Nova asked in horror, optics widening.

"I don't know. Carbon was still functional when I last saw him but I don't know anything about the guard." Ratchet confessed.

"But you don't know for sure that Carbon is functional."

"No. But I know they wouldn't have left him at the stockade." Ratchet continued. "They would have shipped him out with a termination sentence. I think I know where they took him."

"And you want to go after him?" Nova asked. "Ratch…"

She trailed off and Ratchet felt his spark drop at her silence.

"He's just…a miner." She whispered after a moment. "I mean- the chances of getting him back are non-existent. At best. I like Carbon, don't get me wrong, but trying to chase him down half way around the planet? It's just…"

"That he's just bait-metal and not worth it." Ratchet supplied, choking off the growl wanting to escape him. Nova didn't respond but liquid had started pooling in the corners of her optics as she avoided his gaze. "That's he's expendable. That we're all replaceable when we wear out."

"Ratchet I didn't mean it that way-" Nova started to say, reaching for his bracer but Ratchet cut her off with a shake of his helm.

"It's fine." He said, unable to hide the hurt in his voice. He'd thought if anyone would be willing to help it would have been her. "I should have known not to go to a royal."

Nova visibly flinched away at the words and Ratchet turned away from her, processor spinning to try and think of anyone else that would be willing to take the long flight.

"Ratch wait!" Nova called out suddenly and he paused but didn't look at her as she walked up beside him. "You're right."

He glanced at her but she was still avoiding his gaze.

"You're right." She repeated quietly "I still have vacation time left that I haven't used yet. Sire and Carrier are in Axiom on business with some co-workers so the shuttle isn't being used."

"Thank you." Ratchet said softly, a massive weight lifting off his spark. Nova glanced up at him shyly before glancing back down the alley.

"I'll have to find the logs through, we'll need that to cross the borders." She continued before glancing back at Ratchet sharply. "How are you going to cross the borders? You can't go looking like that."

"I got a few tricks in my subspace." Ratchet said with a smirk as Nova's optics widened and her jaw dropped open.

The Black Market overrides were more then willing to take over and Ratchet smirked at the look on Nova's faceplates.

"Primus, I'd almost forgotten your optics could turn blue." Nova said after a moment. "That will defiantly help get across the border but…" She trailed off suddenly embarrassed and Ratchet smirked.

"I don't exactly have the frame of an Elite anymore." He said and she nodded. "I'll figure it out."

"This is going to be one pit of a risk, you do realize that?" Nova asked. "If we're caught crossing the border, if _you're _caught crossing illegally-"

"I know." Ratchet interrupted with a sigh. "Trust me, all I've been able to think of all orn is how this can go wrong."

"How many ways are you up to now?" She asked nervously.

"At least forty." He confessed. "Including but not limited to getting shot out of the air."

"Morbid." Nova replied with a wince before sighing. "Alright. I'll go get what I need. Do you have anything that you could use to get across the borders?"

"I can't risk a border crossing." Ratchet said quietly. "Avalon probably has a bounty on my or something. I can't risk it either way."

"Jump it?!" Nova demanded. "Are you insane?! Ratchet, they'll _shoot_ you for that!"

"I know it's a huge risk Nova but I didn't know who else to go to." Ratchet said softly. "I _have_ to do this."

"And if you terminate in the processes?" Nova asked hesitantly. Ratchet dropped her gaze, clenching his jaw.

"Sandy made it across the borders." Ratchet said after a klick. "Iacon's borders will be the hardest to cross, if I can get past that, the rest will be easy. Avalon would never think of putting my designation on watch lists for the other city-states."

"Where are you crossing?"

"The fastest way is through Vos. If I can get through the mountains I can meet you on the other side."

"Vos." Nova said with wide optics. "You're kidding me. That's like… Iacon's most dangerous border other then the Rust Sea."

"It's the fastest way. Axiom takes too long and Tyger Pax would be even harder." Ratchet explained.

"How are you going to get into Vos then?" She asked.

"I know a mech." Ratchet said with a smirk. "If you can meet me on the other side, I'll catch up to you."

"Why do I think I'm going to regret asking who it is?" Nova asked nervously.

"Probably." Ratchet said with a smirk. "Ironically, this might be the most dangerous part of the whole half-glitched plan."

"Oh Primus…" Nova groaned, shaking her helm. "Alright. I'll meet you over the border."

"I'll tell you where as soon as I know myself." Ratchet continued.

"And if you never show up?"

"I just might find Carbon on my own." Ratchet said with a forced smirk. Nova stared at him for a nano-klick before shaking her helm.

"Alright. I'll trust you on this." She said with a sigh before turning toward the alley entrance. "Comm me when you're set. I'll make sure I'm ready."

"Thank you Nova." Ratchet repeated, watching her. "You honestly don't know how much this means to me. To the gang."

"You're right." She replied with a sad smile. "I don't. But I wish I did."

Ratchet watched her leave, his throat tight. Primus she was risking a lot for this. And he hated having to ask but he had no choice. She was one of the few outside the gang he could still trust.

ooOOoo

Ratchet sat on a low ridge, shifting his weight from axil to axil as he flared his sensors to try and find the mech. To his dread he couldn't pick up the mech's spark signature but he had a horrible feeling that the canine knew he was there. It was pitch black, both moons in shadow and his headlights were off but he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. He knew that beastframes were viciously territorial but he didn't know just how far Sterling's property extended or if Brokefang had claimed more land outside of that.

Shifting into gear, he started weaving his way down the ridge. It would be so much easier on ped but that was just asking to be mauled by a furious canine. He took a nasty corner slowly, not wanting to roll by accident when he saw something move in the darkness. He hit the brakes, suddenly realizing just how glitched he was to be here alone. Even worse, he hadn't told Sterling he was here. As violent as that mech could be, he didn't want to think about what would happen if he ran into the mech in the middle of the night.

The canine came out of nowhere from on top of the ridge. Before Ratchet even had a chance to react, the canine had rammed into him, shoving his helm and shoulder guards under his frame, just behind his front tire. His entire weight rammed into Ratchet and easily flipped him off the unstable ledge. Instinctively Ratchet transformed to break his fall, rolling and landing hard on his faceplates. A snarl gave him a nano-klick to react and he rolled onto his back, getting his arms up just in time for the canine to land on him, fangs snapping closed on his bracer. Razor sharp fangs as long as his servo punched through his bracer and he just managed to keep from howling in pain. The mech snarled but he didn't bite down harder and to Ratchet's shock he let him go but didn't move.

"Brokefang knows Trespasser. Trespasser is Medic." He snarled, fangs dripping energon. "But Medic is still unwanted."

"Waitwaitwait!" Ratchet cried out, unable to tear his optics away from the mouth full of gaping denta just inches from his throat. "I'm with Sterling! I'm part of the gang!"

To his utter relief, the mech snapped his jaws shut but was still snarling.

"Predaking told Brokefang to terminate anyone that trespassed." He snarled, baring his denta again. "_Anyone._"

"What? Why?" Ratchet asked before flinching back when the mech snapped at him. "Wait! I didn't mean to trespass but I didn't know how else to find you!"

Brokefang's snarl abruptly cut off as his audios pointed forward and he cocked his helm. It was obvious he wasn't expecting that and Ratchet started to relax, knowing that the mech would at least let him talk before ripping his throat out.

"Medic was looking for Brokefang?" He asked, finally getting off of Ratchet and licking the energon from his fangs. "Why?"

Ratchet pressed a servo to the puncture wounds on his bracer and hesitantly sat up.

"I need to get across the border into Vos." He explained as Brokefang sat down to watch him. "The next night I have to be Vos.

"Medic is Iaconian and has documents to cross the borders. Medic doesn't need to jump them." Brokefang said, his helm still cocked to the side.

"Not anymore I don't. I can't risk being caught crossing, but I have to get across. I know your kind cross the borders all the time." Ratchet said. He nearly jumped out of his armor when Brokefang threw his helm back with a baying laugh.

"Medic ain't no pack mate." He said. "Medic could never keep up."

"It's Ratchet." Ratchet cut in, starting to get a little sick and tired of mechs underestimating him. "And you'd go after a packmate if they were in trouble."

"Brokefang knows what happens to fuelburners that work underground." He growled. "The air is poisonous and it poisons the spark. That mech is as good as offline."

"He's still functional and I intend on getting him back." Ratchet replied, armor flaring a little at the canine's tone. "If you're too scared to go-"

"Brokefang is not a coward!" The mech snarled, snapping his jaws dangerously close to Ratchet's throat cables.

"Then take me to Vos!" Ratchet demanded, ignoring the fangs just a breath from his throat. "Or take me to someone who will!"

Brokefang continued snarling before he backed off after a spark stopping klick.

"Brokefang will not leave Predaking's territory." He said, sitting back down a little ways off. "But Brokefang knows someone that might take Ratchet to Vos. Predaqueen Nightstrike and Predaqueen's pack are fast but Predaqueen might take Ratchet if Ratchet keeps up."

"I'll keep up." Ratchet said firmly. "Where do I find her?"

"Yance. It's right in the middle of Predaqueen's territory. Ratchet won't find Predaqueen, Predaqueen will find Ratchet."

"That's comforting." Ratchet muttered.

"Ratchet's choice." Brokefang growled with a dangerous grin. "Now go before Brokefang does the job Predaking ordered Brokefang to do."

Ratchet nodded before getting to his peds and transforming. The entire way back to the road he knew the canine was following him even if he couldn't see him, he could feel those predatory yellow optics on him.

ooOOoo

By some miracle of Primus Ratchet managed to get a ticket on a small shuttle to Yance and after a nerve wracking flight, the passenger shuttle landed in the small border town. He couldn't get off the rickety pile of scrap fast enough and glancing back at the shuttle, he was still shocked that they hadn't fallen out of the sky. He shook his helm with a sigh, walking away from the landing pad and toward where the other tired looking passengers were headed.

He was about to walk into the run down looking bar when something caught his attention. Pausing he glanced in the direction the motion had come from. Nothing reappeared but he could have sworn he had sensed a weak spark signature. Just like Brokefang's abnormally weak signature.

"Well, here goes nothing…" He muttered, heading after whoever it was. They were good at staying hidden, easily keeping out of Ratchet's sight but close enough that he could still detect them. Just as he came around another corner, the spark signature disappeared entirely and Ratchet paused, staring at the warehouse in front of him. The main hanger doors were locked but a small side door was left half open. He had his servo on the door when he hesitated, realizing that for all he knew, he was walking into an ambush.

"More then likely actually…" he muttered before pushing the door open.

The lights were off and he stepped into the shadows, glancing around the crates stacked beside the door. Only when he turned the corner did he see who it was that he had been following.

A small feline sat in the middle of the warehouse, long tail wrapped around her paws.

"Outsider is either brave or glitched to come in here." She said in a soft tone, examining razor sharp claws.

"I haven't decided to tell you the truth." Ratchet replied, a sudden sense of unease building in his tanks. "I'm looking for Predaqueen Nightstrike."

"What does Outsider want with Predaqueen?" The feline asked, glancing at Ratchet with poison green optics. "Outsider isn't from Yance."

"No, I'm from Iacon." Ratchet replied, glancing around but to his knowledge he was still alone with the little femme.

"That's too bad." She said, shaking her helm before her optics snapped back to Ratchet's. "Nobody will know Outsider's gone."

Something moved behind him and only Sandy constantly jumping out at him had him twisting out of the way in time for a sword to come down where he'd been standing with unbelievable force. His spark racing, he spun to the mech only to take another step back in alarm.

It was a black equine with blazing red optics and equally red glyphs tattooed over his entire frame. He didn't know what language it was though and at the moment he didn't really care. The equine lowered his helm and Ratchet took another step back as he bought the blade like horn around.

"Off' Outsider Warflame!" Someone, not the feline, cheered as Ratchet dove to the side again. He caught a glimpse of at least three more pairs of optics before he had to dive out of the way of that blade like horn again as the equine struck.

"Thank _you_ Sandy!" He hissed to himself, facing the equine as he stamped his hoof hard enough it threw off sparks. "I demanded to speak to Predaqueen Nightstrike!" He demanded only to get a round of laugher from at least a dozen voices. He was completely surrounded.

"Outsider has no right to speak to Predaqueen." The equine snarled, throwing his helm high again before bringing his horn back down. His back to the wall, Ratchet knew he was trapped. He couldn't avoid the equine forever and who knew when the others would join in to tear him to shreds. The equine charged and Ratchet braced himself for that blade to pierce his spark. There was a roar, more like a scream, and the equine was suddenly throw to the side like he'd been hit by a tank. Ratchet gasped as the equine's horn grazed his chassis and he jerked back against the wall, not sure what the frag to expect now.

The warehouse had gone suddenly quiet expect for the equine scrambling back to his hooves with a snort.

"Warflame is pushing Warflame's place again." A raspy femme's voice snarled from directly in front of Ratchet. "If Outsider wants to speak to Predaqueen, Predaqueen makes that choice, not Warflame."

All of a sudden Ratchet realized that the dark shape in front of him wasn't a shadow, but another beast of some kind. The blackness shifted and Ratchet felt his energon run cold at the wicked red optic that locked onto him.

"What does Outsider want with Predaqueen." The femme demanded, light flashing off razor sharp denta as she bared her fangs at him.

"I need to get over the border." Ratchet said, far more sure of himself then he felt. "I was told to come to you."

"By who." She demanded, cocking her helm to the side and straightening up. For some reason Ratchet still couldn't see her shape, and he had no idea what she was.

"By a canine in Iacon." Ratchet said before giving the equine a dark look. "And that's all I'll say until you let me out of this ambush."

He almost jumped when the femme let out a screeching laugh.

"Outsider is glitched to think Outsider can tell Predaqueen what to do!" She spat, helm down and Ratchet mentally smacked himself. This wasn't the gang that would just beat him to a messy pulp, this was a pack of beastframes! They would _eat _him if he fragged them off!

Someone screeched and Ratchet winced at the harsh sound before nearly jumping out of his armor when something small abruptly flew in front of him. It was a tiny avian with a wing span barely as long as his arm.

"What is Quickwing doing here!" Predaqueen demanded, snapping her jaws shut with a clack. "Quicklight doesn't belong here."

"Outsider is medic!" The tiny femme chirped, still hovering in front of Ratchet. Out of some impulse he held his arm out to her and she easily landed on his bracer, small claws just barely scratching the paint.

"Isn't Outsider?" She asked, cocking her helm to the side.

"A medic?" Ratchet asked and she bobbed her helm. "Yes, an apprentice, I'm still in training but yes. Why?"

He winced when the little avian screeched before hopping around on his bracer till she was facing the Predaqueen.

"Medic is useful Predaqueen! Medic can help." She chirped.

"Warflame says terminate Outsider!" The equine snarled, rearing up on his back legs before coming back down with a ringing crash that threw up more sparks.

"Enough!" Predaqueen spat, snapping her jaws again. "Pack is going back home."

"And Outsider?" The small feline from before asked, padding up silently.

"Outsider comes too." Predaqueen said with a low growl, as if daring anybody to argue. That wicked optic was suddenly on him again and he tensed. "As long as _Medic _can keep up."

"I'll be right behind you." Ratchet said, optics hard.

"Keep up if Medic can." She snarled before the warehouse doors suddenly slid open with a bang. Far too bright light flooded the warehouse and Ratchet finally got a look at the Predaqueen. She was a small predacon, one of the small fast bipedal ones and Ratchet knew he'd have a hard time keeping up. She turned around slowly, showing off her grey and black armor before facing the door and tossing her helm in a blatant challenge before bolting.

"Better keep up Medic!" The small avian called as she took off. "Predaqueen won't wait for Medic!"

Ratchet took a step forward only to come up short, the point of Warflame's horn in his faceplates. Ratchet scowled, knowing that this must be the Sandstorm of the pack. The one that was going to give him a pit of hard time.

"Outsider better watch Outsider's step." Warflame snarled, pressing his horn against Ratchet's chassis. With a snarl of his own he grabbed the equine's horn, twisting his helm off to the side and out of the way. The equine jerked his helm up but Ratchet easily kept his grip, yanking his helm back down to optic level.

"Equine better watch Equine's step." Ratchet growled, before shoving the shocked equine's horn out of his way. Without another word he transformed and raced after the pack.

* * *

**YES angry black and red robot unicorn! Get over it! The concept is awesome... :) Anyways, just to clear up some visual clarifications. Anything i talk about that has hair, equine, canine, feline... ect, imagine them hairless unless stated otherwise. (Steeljaw still has a mane, I'll explain that MUCH later) because the point of hair (for the most part) is to keep warm. They don't need hair. Hence, no manes or bushy wolf tails because their armor is more like what the muscle would look like without the skin on top. Also, Dinosaur, Dragon, Griffin, ect are human names and mean nothing to cybertronains. there for they all get lumped into one category, predacon. It pretty much covers dinosaurs and mythical creatures. I'll try and describe what i can but I'll still end up being pretty vague so by all means PLEASE ask for clarifications. And like it says on my profile, Predaking and Predaqueen are titles, not names. So when Preadking from TFPrime makes his grand entrance (much much much later) he does so by a different name. (Scarlaith if anyone is curious)  
**

**Quick character description. **

**Nightstrike- Velociraptor**

**Warflame- Unicorn**

**Quickwing- Finch like with a bird of prey's talons. **

**OK, boring stuff is done. HAHAHAHAHA and it's off to Kaon for our hero and he's about to get himself in a whole lot of slag. hee hee hee i'm such a horrrible person. Hopefully the next chapter will be up faster but then again i just might start typign what ever comes into my head and then you never know what you're gonna get. **

**READ AND REVIEW! Thanks for sticking with me guys!**

**2211Nighthawk!**


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